A/RES/68/170 Freedom of religion or belief (b) The rise of religious extremism in various parts of the world that affects the rights of individuals, including persons belonging to religious minorities; (c) Incidents of hatred, discrimination, intolerance and violence based on religion or belief, which may be associated with or manifested by the derogatory stereotyping, negative profiling and stigmatization of persons based on their religion or belief; (d) Attacks on or destruction of religious places, sites and shrines in violation of international law, in particular human rights and humanitarian law, as they have more than material significance for the dignity and lives of members of communities holding spiritual or religious beliefs; (e) Instances, both in law and practice, that constitute violations of the human right to freedom of religion or belief, including of the individual right to publicly express one’s spiritual and religious beliefs, taking into account the relevant articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,1 as well as other international instruments; (f) Constitutional and legislative systems that fail to provide adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief to all without distinction; 14. Urges States to step up their efforts to protect and promote freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, and to this end: (a) To ensure that their constitutional and legislative systems provide adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief to all without distinction, inter alia, by providing access to justice and effective remedies in cases where the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief or the right to freely choose and practise one’s religion is violated; (b) To implement all accepted universal periodic review recommendations related to the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief; (c) To ensure that no one within their jurisdiction is deprived of the right to life, liberty and security of person because of religion or belief and that no one is subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or arbitrary arrest or detention on that account and to bring to justice all perpetrators of violations of these rights; (d) To end violations of the human rights of women and to devote particular attention to appropriate measures modifying or abolishing existing laws, regulations, customs and practices that discriminate against women, including in the exercise of their right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, and to foster practical ways to ensure equality between men and women; (e) To ensure that existing legislation is not implemented in a discriminatory manner or does not result in discrimination based on religion or belief, that no one is discriminated against on the basis of his or her religion or belief when accessing, inter alia, education, medical care, employment, humanitarian assistance or social benefits and that everyone has the right and the opportunity to have access, on general terms of equality, to public services in their country, without any discrimination based on religion or belief; (f) To review, whenever relevant, existing registration practices in order to ensure that such practices do not limit the right of all persons to manifest their religion or belief, either alone or in community with others and in public or private; 4/6