A/HRC/RES/43/34 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 3 July 2020 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-third session 24 February–13 March and 15–23 June 2020 Agenda item 9 Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 22 June 2020 43/34. Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief The Human Rights Council, Reaffirming the commitment made by all States under the Charter of the United Nations to promote and encourage universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction as to, inter alia, religion or belief, Reaffirming also Human Rights Council resolutions 16/18 of 24 March 2011, 19/25 of 23 March 2012, 22/31 of 22 March 2013, 25/34 of 28 March 2014, 28/29 of 27 March 2015, 31/26 of 24 March 2016, 34/32 of 24 March 2017, 37/38 of 23 March 2018 and 40/25 of 22 March 2019, and General Assembly resolutions 66/167 of 19 December 2011, 67/178 of 20 December 2012, 68/169 of 18 December 2013, 69/174 of 18 December 2014, 70/157 of 17 December 2015, 71/195 of 19 December 2016, 72/196 of 19 December 2017, 73/164 of 17 December 2018 and 74/163 of 18 December 2019, Reaffirming further the obligation of States to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion or belief and to implement measures to guarantee the equal and effective protection of the law, Reaffirming that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides, inter alia, that everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, which shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his or her choice and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his or her religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching, Reaffirming also the positive role that the exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and full respect for the freedom to seek, receive and impart information can play in strengthening democracy and combating religious intolerance, and also that the exercise of the right to freedom of expression carries with it special duties and responsibilities, in accordance with article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, GE.20-08931(E) 