The extent to which freedom of belief is enjoyed in the contemporary world and how different cultures and legal systems respond to diversity of religious and secular beliefs in their midst, is a neglected topic in human rights research. The process of reaching consensus on the norms governing freedom of conscience, religion and belief has been protracted and is far from complete. Questions of religion, ideology or belief are among the most sensitive matters in international relations and in international human rights exchanges within the United Nations and regional bodies. Diplomatic discourse has preferred to confine itself largely to abstract reference to situations of 'intolerance' or 'religious extremism', for example, rather than identify specific violations. The general wariness towards, if not lack of interest in, the subject by many governments, has resulted in a studied neglect. Yet for the bulk of humankind, belief is the most significant of all aspects of life and the freedoms to maintain, to manifest and to transmit their beliefs to their children, are among the most important claims made by citizens everywhere on their governments. .

             Freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief is far from being universally enjoyed. Discrimination and intolerance in matters of religion or belief are a serious dimension of the catalogue of violation of human rights in the world including situations of gross violation. Religious persecution of minority faiths, forcible conversion, desecration of religious sites, the proscribing of beliefs and pervasive discrimination, killings and torture, are daily occurrences at the end of the twentieth century (Berthrong, 1993). Even in a world which has emerged from the paralysis of the Cold War, little it appears can be done for the victims. In 1995 the United Nations could not even afford to publish their complaints. A distinguishing characteristic of the freedom of religion and belief is, therefore, that it is not only capable of being violated by the state but by the people who make up the state.