A/HRC/34/52 it is urgent to take action. At the core of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate is the duty to ensure that every effort is made so that people no longer have to die anywhere in the world for having defended human dignity and human rights. 82. While there is no denying the current plight of defenders, the Special Rapporteur is conscious of the many initiatives carried out by committed individuals and institutions determined to improve the situation of defenders. He is convinced, now more than ever, of the need to develop synergies between the complementary roles of all stakeholders. 83. When the Special Rapporteur took up his functions in 2014, he knew that the expectations regarding his mandate were at least as great as the threats to the individuals who defend human rights and freedoms. He sought to open new doors and to push the limits of the mandate. Having benefited from a vast number of meetings and activities conducted over the past three years, he would like to continue and intensify these initiatives and give them time to bear fruit. The activities covered in this report therefore represent a work in progress. The Special Rapporteur is particularly keen to strengthen initiatives to improve the implementation of recommendations and resolutions on the protection of defenders. To that end, he would like to develop tools to measure their implementation and to focus on strengthening the capacities of national actors to act on recommendations and resolutions and make them a reality on the ground. 84. Rather than constituting a static programme of action, the proposals contained in this report should be understood as key areas of focus. The Special Rapporteur wishes to retain some flexibility in responding to requests that might arise during his second mandate. It is important to pay particular attention to new trends and alerts from civil society and the various actors involved in protecting defenders. V. Recommendations 85. The Special Rapporteur recommends that States: (a) Implement the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders; (b) Implement resolutions on the protection of defenders and monitor their continued implementation; (c) Publicly recognize and support the work of defenders through publicity campaigns and specific communication and information initiatives; (d) Develop holistic measures for protecting defenders based on the seven principles set out in his report to the Human Rights Council in March 2016 (A/HRC/31/55); (e) Invite him to conduct official country visits, without limiting the duration or scope of such visits, inter alia, for the purpose of meeting with defenders who live in remote areas and cannot travel; (f) Respond to requests for information sent by his office, particularly in respect of cases of defenders at risk, by providing any information necessary for an optimal evaluation of situations of concern; (g) Remove the obstacles that some domestic laws place on the legitimate activities of defenders engaged in promoting and protecting human rights, including by ensuring respect for the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association. 18 GE.17-00986