A/HRC/37/49 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 28 February 2018 Original: English Human Rights Council Thirty-seventh session 26 February–23 March 2018 Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief* Note by the Secretariat The Secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Human Rights Council the report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed, pursuant to resolution 31/16. In the report, the Special Rapporteur analyses the relationships between State and religion and their impact on freedom of religion or belief. He stresses the obligation of States to act as impartial guarantor of freedom of religion or belief to all regardless of the relationships between State and religion or belief. * The present document was submitted late to the conference services without the explanation required under paragraph 8 of General Assembly resolution 53/208. GE.18-03082(E) 