UNITED NATIONS, Nov 23: Decrying increase in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Christianophobia, a UN General Assembly committee approved on Monday a resolution calling on member states to provide "effective guarantees of freedom of thought , conscience, religion or belief".

The resolution on religious intolerance was adopted 177-0 by the assembly's social and humanitarian committee, which has jurisdiction over human rights issues. The resolution now goes to the General Assembly.

The resolution "recognizes with deep concern the overall rise in instances of intolerance and violence directed against members of many religious communities in various parts of the world, including cases motivated by Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.