Emphasizing that States, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, religious bodies and the media have an important role to play in promoting tolerance, respect for religious and cultural diversity and in the universal promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, 1. Condemns all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief, as well as violations of the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief; 2. Stresses that the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion applies equally to all people, regardless of their religion or beliefs, and without any discrimination as to their equal protection by the law; 3. Welcomes the report presented by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (A/HRC/10/8) addressing discrimination based on religion or belief and its impact on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, and encourages States to consider implementing the recommendations contained therein; 4. Emphasizes that discrimination based on religion or belief often has an adverse impact on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, particularly with regard to persons belonging to religious minorities and other persons in vulnerable situations; 5. Urges States: (a) To ensure that everyone has the right to, inter alia, education, work, an adequate standard of living, the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and to take part in cultural life, without any discrimination on the basis of religion or belief; (b) To ensure that no one is discriminated against on the basis of his or her religion or belief, in particular with regard to access to, inter alia, humanitarian assistance, social benefits or the public service in one’s country; (c) To ensure that no one is affected, because of his or her religion or belief, in the enjoyment of his or her economic, social and cultural rights by, inter alia, discriminatory laws on housing, property or land trust, or any discriminatory practices; (d) To take the necessary measures, in accordance with international human rights law, to combat discrimination based on religion or belief by non-State actors, with particular regard to members of religious minorities and other persons in vulnerable situations; (e) To devote particular attention to discriminatory practices against women on the basis of their religion or belief that adversely affect the enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights; (f) To ensure that appropriate legal and other remedies, in accordance with international human rights law, are available to individuals in order to allow them to seek redress against discrimination based on religion or belief that affects the enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights; (g) To promote and encourage, through all available means, including education and inter-religious dialogue, understanding, tolerance and respect in all matters relating to freedom of religion or belief and religious tolerance, and to make all appropriate efforts to encourage those 2