A/HRC/25/58/Add.2 18. Persons belonging to religious minorities reported that they can generally practice their religion freely without facing unreasonable obstacles from the administration or within their social environment. The construction or renovation of churches or other religious buildings is usually undertaken without undue bureaucratic stipulations, and people can manifest their beliefs visibly and audibly, for instance, by wearing (or by choosing not to wear) religious garments, holding public processions, performing rituals or pronouncing prayers. Moreover, members of minorities generally do not suffer from discrimination in the labour market, at their workplace, in hospitals or in the housing market. 19. Remarkably, the above rather positive assessment was largely shared by members of minority communities that have not received recognition as religious communities, such as followers of certain Christian denominations (for example, Baptists) or members of the post-Islamic Baha’i community. Although facing some serious problems due to the of formal recognition (see paragraphs 23 to 28 below), the adherents of these groups spoke quite positively about living in Jordan. Apart from specific issues of concern, these individuals can generally live like other Jordanians, with whom they by and large enjoy good relations. 20. As a general caveat, the Special Rapporteur would like to mention that most of the discussions he held during the visit took place in Amman. The atmosphere experienced there may be typical for the urban areas of Jordan where the majority of Jordanians live. The Special Rapporteur did not, however, gain first-hand experience of the situation in remote rural areas. He was informed that, in such rural areas in which conservative tribal traditions continue to permeate and shape all aspects of social interaction, the climate may be very different and much less tolerant. Moreover, in regions in which Christians do not traditionally reside, they reportedly may be perceived as not really fitting into an Arab society. 21. Another caveat concerns the impact of social and economic factors, whose significance for understanding the dynamics between different religious groups or attitudes needs to be explored systematically. The Special Rapporteur was not able to check or verify conjectures disclosed to him by a number of interlocutors that the impoverished strata of the population are particularly vulnerable to increasing radical religious influence. The assumption that social and economic factors should be taken into account for a more comprehensive picture of the situation of freedom of religion or belief seems generally plausible. IV. Recognition and registration issues 22. While article 2 of the Constitution of Jordan accords Islam an elevated status as the official religion of the State, Christian denominations are also recognized by the State. Such recognition implies a number of practical privileges, including tax exemption and financial subsidies, as well as the possibility of deciding legal matters concerning personal status in their own ecclesiastical tribunals, largely on the basis of their respective canon laws. Recognized religious communities include the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church (“Latins”), Greek Catholics (“Melkites”), the Maronite Church, the Anglican Church, the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Seventh-day Adventists. 23. Some non-recognized Christian denominations, such as the Baptists or the Pentacostalists, have registered under the law of immovable property, which gives them a status largely comparable to registered associations. Although having the status as a collective legal personality, which is important for organizing community matters in a sustainable manner, they understandably feel disadvantaged when compared with officially recognized churches. Besides the symbolic impact of unequal status, practical problems 8