A/HRC/34/50 II. Towards an agenda for implementation 5. In accordance with the increasing emphasis on implementing human rights reforms, the Special Rapporteur wishes to focus on operationalizing the right to freedom of religion or belief. The operational approach to human rights implementation includes traditional institutional undertaking, which focus on laws, courts and other conventional aspects of compliance, as well as efforts by the State, through policy, programmes and activities, to translate commitments to human rights into practice. The Special Rapporteur also wishes to build on existing synergies within the United Nations framework by working with partners across the wider United Nations human rights system to mainstream the promotion of the right to freedom of religion or belief in its work, and to increase the salience of the core principles related to this right. A. Role of the Special Rapporteur 6. To the extent that the Special Rapporteur serves as the primary focal point within the United Nations human rights system to promote the right to freedom of religion or belief, he stresses that the special procedures of the Human Rights Council are most effective when they work as part of a coordinated and coherent system, as demonstrated by mandate practice. Such an approach is also in keeping with the holistic conceptualization of human rights that is necessary for the promotion of the right to freedom of religion or belief. 7. The special procedures have advanced the advocacy and protection functions of the Human Rights Council by means of official communications (allegation letters and urgent appeals) with Governments relating to the tripartite obligation of States to respect, protect and fulfil the right to freedom of religion or belief in all its dimensions. The mandate also relies on private communications alleging rights violations from victims and their advocates, and on reports documenting incidents that are incompatible with international human rights standards, including proposed legislation by Governments or the activities of non-State actors. The mandate may employ other forms of communication, including press releases and social media, to advocate on behalf of alleged victims or in relation to various incidents and situations. These communications reflect the range of violations relating to the right to freedom of religion or belief that mandate holders seek to address, and identify the individuals and communities most vulnerable to abuse. They also highlight the range of challenges facing duty-bearers and rights-holders globally in realizing the right to freedom of religion or belief. 8. The mandate issued a total of 618 urgent appeals and allegation letters to 87 States between 2004 and 30 November 2016. The majority of communications during this time frame addressed restrictions relating to manifestations of the right to freedom of religion or belief, and discrimination and intolerance based on religion or belief. Since the beginning of his tenure in November 2016, the Special Rapporteur has issued communications relating to sectarian attacks on religious minorities, apostasy and blasphemy charges, discriminatory practices relating to the construction of houses of worship, disruption of peaceful religious gatherings in private homes, the targeting of religious leaders, censorship of religious views and the confiscation of religious materials. 9. Sixty-eight per cent of the communications by the mandate on freedom of religion or belief since 2004 have been jointly issued with other mandate holders. At least 22 thematic mandate holders have issued 260 joint urgent appeals and 161 joint allegation letters with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. The majority of joint communications were issued with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, followed by the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, the Working 4