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and secondary education. Seventy-seven States replied to
this questionnaire and this should make it possible to
formulate an international education strategy to combat all
forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion
and belief. Because of the lack of resources allocated to this
mandate, the analysis of the replies was delayed and has
not been completed. For this reason, the Special
Rapporteur this year formulated a plan to finalize this
activity by November 2001, the anniversary of the adoption
of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Intolerance and Discrimination based on Religion or
Belief. Initially, this plan provides for completion of the
study of the replies to the above-mentioned questionnaire
and for the formulation of a “preliminary set of conclusions
and recommendations”. In a second phase, an international
consultative conference would be prepared and held in
November 2001 on the content of curricula and textbooks
at institutions of primary or basic and secondary education
relating to freedom of religion and belief. This conference
will examine the results of the questionnaire and will
propose an international education strategy to combat all
forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion
or belief, by formulating a joint basic programme of
tolerance and non-discrimination which can be transmitted
to the relevant United Nations organs in the form of a
declaration. The finalization of the plan and its
implementation will necessarily require the cooperation of
all the intergovernmental organizations, human rights
bodies in the United Nations system and nongovernmental
organizations.
IV. Initiatives of the Commission on
Human Rights, States and
non-governmental organizations
A. Commission on Human Rights
103. This year, the Commission on Human Rights took
two initiatives concerning the mandate of the Special
Rapporteur: firstly, as regards the World Conference
against Racism and, secondly, as regards the question of
defamation of religions.
104. As regards the World Conference against Racism,
paragraph 63 (c) of resolution 1999/78 entitled “Racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”
requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to
invite the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance to
participate actively in the preparatory process and in the
16
World Conference by initiating studies on action to combat
incitement to hatred and religious intolerance. Paragraph
7 of resolution 1999/39 entitled “Implementation of the
Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance
and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief” invites
the Special Rapporteur to contribute effectively to the
preparatory process for the World Conference to be held
in 2001 by forwarding to the High Commissioner his
recommendations on religious intolerance which have a
bearing on the World Conference”. It should also be noted
that resolution 1999/82 entitled “Defamation of religions”
expresses concern at any role in which the print, audiovisual or electronic media or any other means is used to
incite acts of violence, xenophobia or related intolerance
and discrimination towards Islam and any other religion
and called upon the Special Rapporteurs on religious
intolerance and on racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance to take into account the
provisions of the resolution when reporting to the
Commission on Human Rights.
105. In accordance with the resolutions summarized
above, the Special Rapporteur has already recommended
the following studies:
Image of religious minorities in the media
106. As explained by the Special Rapporteur, in several
mission reports (Germany E/CN.4/1998/6/Add.2; United
States of America E/CN.4/1999/58/Add.1), the media, and
in particular the popular press, all too often portrays
matters relating to religion and belief in particular
religious minorities, in a grotesque, not to say totally
distorted and harmful light. The Special Rapporteur has
recommended starting a campaign to develop awareness
among the media on the need to publish information that
respects the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination.
These measures would also make it possible to educate and
shape public opinion in accordance with these principles.
The study would therefore identify the role of the media in
hatred and religious intolerance vis-à-vis religious
minorities, their responsibilities and would recommend
preventive measures, including action to be taken under
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
advisory services programme.
Intolerance against ethno-religious
communities: identification and measures
107. The study would identify main factors of intolerance
against ethno-religious communities, its manifestations