A/68/290 empowerment of human beings, as individuals and in community with others. This empowerment component is something which freedom of religion or belief has in common with all other human rights. Only on this basis is it possible to develop and defend a holistic understanding of the complex interplay between freedom of religion or belief and equality between men and women. 71. In discourses on contentious religious issues, everyone should have a voice and everyone should have a chance to be heard. However, by also empowering groups who traditionally experience discrimination, including women and girls, freedom of religion or belief can serve as a normative reference point for projects that challenge patriarchal tendencies as they exist in virtually all religious traditions. This can lead to more gender-sensitive readings of religious sources and far-reaching discoveries in this field. 72. When dealing with supposed or factual problems in the intersection of freedom of religion or belief and gender equality, the existing diversity of human beings must always be taken seriously. This includes an awareness of interreligious as well as intrareligious pluralism. The voices of women, including their different and possibly conflicting assessments, should always be part of the broader picture. Failure to recognize existing and emerging pluralism frequently leads to stereotypes, which in turn can become a source of human rights abuses. 73. Integrating a gender perspective into programmes designed for protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief is a requirement that ultimately follows from the universalistic spirit of human rights. Vice versa, integrating sensitivity for issues of freedom of religion or belief broadens and solidifies the human rights basis of gender-related anti-discrimination programmes. 74. In this spirit the Special Rapporteur formulates the following recommendations addressed to different stakeholders, including States, civil society organizations, religious or belief communities, media representatives and persons in charge of education: (a) States should ratify all core international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. They are also encouraged to withdraw existing reservations, including any reservations with regard to religious traditions of the country. The interpretation of religious traditions is not the business of the State and should be left to the followers of the various convictions, who are the rights holders of freedom of religion or belief; (b) States and other stakeholders should search for practical synergies between freedom of religion or belief and equality between men and women and encourage positive developments in this regard. In situations of perceived or factual conflicts, those in charge of taking legislative, policy or juridical decisions must do justice to all human rights issues involved, which implies upholding a holistic human rights understanding even in complicated situations. Taking interreligious and intrareligious pluralism into account is of paramount importance when dealing with conflicts in this field in order to find appropriate solutions and to do justice to all persons involved in such conflicts; 20/22 13-42191