A/64/159 I. Introduction 1. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief was created by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 1986/20. 1 In its resolution 6/37, 2 the Human Rights Council concludes that there is a need for the continued contribution of the Special Rapporteur to the protection, promotion and universal implementation of the right to freedom of religion or belief and decides therefore to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a further period of three years. The General Assembly, in its resolution 63/181, requests the Special Rapporteur to submit an interim report to the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session and decides to consider the question of the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance at its sixty-fourth session under the item entitled “Promotion and protection of human rights”. 2. The Special Rapporteur has outlined the terms of reference, methods of work and legal framework of her mandate in previous reports to the Commission on Human Rights, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. 3 She continuously identifies areas of concern and methods of work in order to effectively fulfil her mandate. The Special Rapporteur would like to highlight that the mandate addresses the right of individuals to freedom of religion or belief; however, the specificity of the mandate often requires her to deal also with the collective rights of religious or belief communities. The relationship between the State and religious communities is complex and the Special Rapporteur addresses this issue in various situations and circumstances. In this regard, she recognizes, on the one hand, the difficulties faced by Governments to stay neutral, and, on the other hand, the obligation to intervene when acts or omissions by religious or belief communities violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. The Special Rapporteur would like to emphasize the fundamental obligations of Governments towards freedom of religion or belief, for example with regard to equality and non-discrimination. States should also devise proactive strategies to safeguard individuals and religious or belief communities against discrimination based on religion or belief. In addition, States are obliged to prohibit by law any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. 3. The twenty-first century and the continued process of globalization pose a series of new challenges in the context of freedom of religion or belief. These challenges include, for example, the use of religious beliefs for political purposes and the dissemination of religious intolerance and stereotypes via new information technologies. Other contentious issues seem to be the emergence of new religious movements and the involvement of religious groups in the framework of humanitarian assistance in crisis situations. Against this background, the Special Rapporteur undertakes activities that may be articulated around the principles of prevention and protection. Prevention and protection play a crucial role in challenging religious intolerance, and both aspects will remain central to her mandate. __________________ 1 2 3 4 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1986, Supplement No. 2 (E/1986/22), chap. II, sect. A. See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-third Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/63/53), chap. I, sect. A. See, for example, E/CN.4/2005/61, A/60/399 and A/HRC/10.8. 09-40869