By Matters India Reporter

Geneva: The Government of India has accepted under freedom of religion category several recommendations from member countries during the ongoing 36th session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in Geneva.

India’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was done on Sept 21.

These recommendations included a demand from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to introduce the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill.

Finland, on the other hand, wants India to invest in training of police officials about human rights to register and probe cases of discrimination and violence and hold them accountable when they fail to do so. This will help the country to be true to its constitution that guarantees equal rights to all minorities.

Ireland said India should intensify efforts to guarantee equality and non-discrimination in line with its international obligations, by developing public human rights awareness programs and taking concrete steps to advance the rights of women and girls, members or religious minorities, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) persons. To combat caste-based discrimination the country should criminalize marital rape; de-criminalize consensual same-sex relations; and establish appropriate policies and practices for registering, investigating and prosecuting violence against women, girls and members or religious minorities.

The United States of America called for ensuring laws are fully and consistently enforced to provide adequate protection for members of religious minorities, scheduled castes, tribes, and other vulnerable population.

Other recommendations:

• Take effective measures to combat rising instances of religious intolerance, violence, and discrimination (Kazakhstan).
• Prevent and pursue through the appropriate judicial means all violent acts against religious and tribal minorities, Dalit and lower castes (Holy See).
• Strengthen efforts for the prevention of case of inter-communal violence (Russian Federation).
• Strengthen efforts to guarantee freedom of religion and belief, especially by retracting so-called anti-conversion laws Holy See 127 Take all necessary measures to protect the rights of persons belonging to religious minorities and repeal laws which restrict religious conversion (Netherlands).
• Abolish anti-conversion laws and grant access to justice to victims of religious violence and discrimination (Italy).
• Repeal requisite legislation to stop violence and discrimination against religious minorities (Kenya).
• Take visible policy and other measures to ensure the freedom of religion and belief and address the alarming trend of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance including mob violence committed, incited and advocated by rightwing parties and affiliated extremist organizations against minorities, particularly Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Dalit (Pakistan).
• Continue to develop laws and make efforts to ensure freedom of religion and belief (Lebanon).
• Guarantee freedom of religion or belief by implementing existing laws to better protect individuals belonging to minority groups from hate speech, incitement to religious violence, discrimination on religious grounds and forcible conversions (Canada).
• Continue its efforts to protect religious freedom and the right of minority groups based on its Constitution and other relevant laws (Republic of South Korea).
• Continue its efforts to protect religious freedom and the right of minority groups based on its Constitution and other relevant laws (Germany).
• The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a UN system inter-governmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world.