A/68/268 85. The Minority Rights Group International has documented the impact of conflict and instability on religious minorities in Iraq, including Muslim minorities, Baha’is, Christians, Armenians, Chaldo-Assyrians, Faili Kurds, Palestinians, Jews, Sabean Mandaeans, Turkmen, Yazidis and others. The Group states that minorities in Iraq have continued to be targeted on the grounds of their religion or ethnicity since the United States-led invasion and fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. They have suffered from killings, kidnappings, torture, harassment, forced conversions and the destruction of homes and property. Women have been subjected to rape and forced to wear hijab. 21 Persecution, human rights violations and targeted attacks have led to vast numbers of internally displaced persons and a mass exodus of some religious communities to neighbouring countries where they continue to experience challenges as religious minorities. 12. Dialogue and interfaith exchanges 86. The Independent Expert is encouraged by the variety of projects around the world that seek to advance understanding and respect between persons belonging to majorities and minorities. These are advanced by States, by the State in partnership with international agencies, by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or by coalitions of State-NGO-religious community actors. States should take a facilitative role in the promotion of inclusive interreligious dialogue and interreligious projects in the advancement of understanding and interfaith exchanges. 87. Patterns of discrimination against religious minorities that have long become part of the fabric of societal norms need a particularly focused intervention by the State. The State has the duty to invest heavily in educating society about the need to acknowledge such patterns of discrimination and reform, thereby creating a new culture of human rights. This will not only benefit the minorities concerned but also strengthen society at large. The role of religious and political leaders in helping to build tolerant, inclusive societies and to initiate and support efforts and activities cannot be overstated. Such influential community and national figures should be at the forefront of dialogue and intercommunity cohesion efforts as well as publicly condemning incitement to hatred and violence. Too often such leaders remain silent or participate in or support anti-minority public discourse. 88. The creation of a culture of human rights and of respect and equal enjoyment of rights by all is key. This requires ongoing and concerted efforts as the religionbelief landscape in all societies is continuously in flux. Continued efforts are required that are focused especially, but not exclusively, on children and young adults who will shape the future of interfaith understanding and acceptance. Educational, political, policy and legal actors need to be engaged and responsive to those trends and respond to them in a concerted and active manner. IV. Conclusions and recommendations 89. Minority rights-based approaches require concrete policy measures and positive actions by the State to create substantive equality in all areas and to protect and promote the rights of religious minorities. The broad scope of __________________ 21 13-41869 See p. 11 of the Minority Rights Group International report, available from http://www.minorityrights.org/11106/reports/iraqs-minorities. 21/23