Daniela Petkovic, Assistant Head of the Police Academy in Zagreb, delivering one of the units during the training of law enforcement trainers, supported by ODIHR, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 24 March. (OSCE/Daniel Milo) 40 Limitations on Freedom of Religion or Belief more coherent approaches are needed if there is to be a real impact. Throughout the OSCE region, individuals, religious communities and participating States face a range of issues related to freedom of religion or belief. Problems include infringements of the right to change, adopt or renounce a religion or belief, as well as limitations on the right to manifest one’s religion or belief. Limitations to manifestations of religion or belief include the disruption or prohibition of worship, even in private homes, as well as attacks or restrictions on places of worship. Another barrier is the requirement in some participating States that the practice of a religion or a belief be registered, which can be coupled with unnecessarily burdensome procedures that are often abused. Censorship of religious literature and bans on the teaching of a religion or a belief are also being reported. Activities Challenging Biases and Prejudices through Education Since negative stereotypes, often passed on from generation to generation, are frequently the cause of hate-motivated crime, educational efforts to promote mutual respect and understanding, to foster an appreciation of cultural, religious and ethnic diversity, and to reinforce remembrance of the Holocaust can help eliminate such attitudes. While a number of participating States have undertaken such efforts, longer-term and Tolerance and Non-discrimination ODIHR supports OSCE participating States and civil society in their efforts to effectively respond to hatemotivated crimes, to promote freedom of religion, and to facilitate mutual respect and understanding. In this regard, ODIHR’s work is focused on addressing specific forms of intolerance through multi-faceted programmes that address education, law enforcement, legislation, civil-society capacity-building, and monitoring, collecting and disseminating information. In 2009, activities were conducted in the following six fields: 55 Collecting and disseminating information about hate crime; 55 Supporting civil society; 55 Reviewing legislation; 55 Combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination; 55 Responding to anti-Semitism; and 55 Promoting freedom of religion or belief. Collecting and Disseminating Information about Hate Crime Despite increased efforts in recent years to stamp out hate crime, there remains a dearth of reliable ODIHR Annual Report 2009