A/HRC/34/52 C. Closer cooperation with other mandate holders 29. Given that restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association are often the earliest signs of attacks intended to criminalize social protest and silence those working in human rights, the Special Rapporteur has sought to work more closely with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this regard, they have carried out an increasing number of joint actions, particularly in relation to communications and public statements on persons who have received threats or are imprisoned and on draft legislation that poses a threat to civil society or defenders. Between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2016, the Special Rapporteur sent 442 communications in conjunction with other mandate holders. 30. He also had the opportunity to draft a number of joint communications with other mandate holders, including the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment. 31. Despite his colleagues’ clear desire for cooperation and the richness of the discussions held at the annual meetings of special procedures mandate holders and in relation to specific cases, the Special Rapporteur sometimes finds that it is difficult to overcome a silo mentality in day-to-day work, given that each mandate holder has a heavy workload and different priorities for action. Nevertheless, he believes that a mandate such as the protection of defenders should be viewed from as cross-cutting a perspective as possible in order to develop a holistic approach to human rights issues. 32. If he is given the opportunity to continue his work under a second mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to pursue and develop some joint activities, including the establishment of a database of national legislation on freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and the protection of defenders. 33. In addition, and against the backdrop of the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 31/32 on defenders of economic, social and cultural rights (A/HRC/RES/31/32), adopted in March 2016, the Special Rapporteur intends to approach special procedures mandate holders in order to propose joint initiatives to provide defenders with better protection. D. Improved follow-up of communications and country visits 34. Between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2016, the Special Rapporteur and his team sent 693 communications (231 in 2014, 208 in 2015 and 254 in 2016) to States. These included 368 urgent appeals and 319 letters of allegations. 35. These 693 communications concerned the cases of 1,293 persons, including 278 women human rights defenders. Women were the subject of roughly 22 per cent of communications in 2014 and 21 per cent of communications in 2015. The figure for 2016 has not yet been established. 36. According to a regional breakdown of the statistics for communications sent between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2016, the largest number of communications concerned the Asia-Pacific region (222 communications, or around 32 per cent of all those sent under the mandate). In addition, 131 communications (around 19 per cent of all communications) concerned the Americas and 128 communications (around 19 per cent) concerned the Middle East and North Africa. Communications concerning the regions of Europe and Central Asia and those concerning African countries accounted for 14 and 15 8 GE.17-00986