E/CN.4/1999/58 page 3 Introduction 1. At its forty-second session, the Commission on Human Rights decided, in resolution 1986/20 of 10 March 1986, to appoint for one year a special rapporteur to examine incidents and governmental action in all parts of the world inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, and to recommend remedial measures for such situations. 2. In accordance with that resolution, the previous and current Special Rapporteurs have submitted the following reports to the Commission on Human Rights since 1987: E/CN.4/1987/35; E/CN.4/1988/45 and Add.1; E/CN.4/1989/44; E/CN.4/1990/46; E/CN.4/1991/56; E/CN.4/1992/52; E/CN.4/1993/62 and Add.1 and Corr.1; E/CN.4/1994/79; E/CN.4/1995/91 and Add.1; E/CN.4/1996/95 and Add.1 and 2; E/CN.4/1997/91 and Add.1; E/CN.4/1998/6 and Add.1 and 2). Since 1994, reports have also been submitted to the General Assembly (A/50/440; A/51/542; A/52/477 and Add.1, A/53/279). The present report is submitted in accordance with Commission on Human Rights resolution 1998/18 of 9 April 1998. I. INITIATIVES BY THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR TO IDENTIFY LEGISLATION AND CONDUCT STUDIES IN THE FIELD OF TOLERANCE AND NON-DISCRIMINATION CONCERNING RELIGION OR BELIEF AND TO DEVELOP A CULTURE OF TOLERANCE A. Legislation 3. The Special Rapporteur deems it necessary to establish a compendium of national enactments on or relating to freedom of religion and belief (see E/CN.4/1998/6, para. 16). This initiative was taken in the framework of the 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and various resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights and General Assembly; it also addresses the recommendations made in the studies of several special rapporteurs and in the reports of the Secretary-General in the field of religion and belief (see E/CN.4/1998/6, chap. II). 4. The Special Rapporteur's aim is to create a basic reference work, to be updated regularly. This international compendium would serve several purposes: (a) Provision of accurate information on the legal position of States and its evolution in matters relating to religion and belief; (b) Preparation of a comparative study of national legislation and its conformity with international law to serve as a mutually influencing factor between bodies of legislation and encourage States to communicate information on their legislative advances; (c) Examination of allegations received in the field of tolerance and non-discrimination based on religion or belief; (d) Preparation of in situ visits and their follow-up;