A/HRC/31/55 (c) Explore ways to replicate and disseminate good protection practices, including by transferring them to different and new contexts. 113. The Special Rapporteur recommends that States: (a) Enact legislative and policy frameworks with a view to establishing national protection programmes for defenders, in consultation with defenders and civil society. In States with a federal structure, federal legislation should be the basis for the programme, and federal authorities should have oversight over the programmes that are administered by local governments; (b) Dedicate sufficient funding, and refrain from interfering with externallysourced funding, for the protection of defenders; (c) Develop a mechanism to investigate complaints of threats or violations against defenders in a prompt and effective manner, and initiate appropriate disciplinary, civil and criminal proceedings against perpetrators as part of systemic measures to prevent impunity for such acts; (d) Disseminate the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders through policy measures and awareness-raising campaigns; (e) Provide training to relevant government officials, including police, military and other security officers, as well as members of the judiciary, on the legitimate role of defenders and their rights, in accordance with international human rights law. 114. The Special Rapporteur recommends that regional intergovernmental organizations: (a) Develop and disseminate strong policies and guidelines for the protection of human rights defenders, in consultation with defenders and civil society; (b) Where policies and guidelines are in place, develop concrete plans of action at all levels, with specific monitoring mechanisms to review their effectiveness on the ground, including by seeking feedback from defenders; (c) Develop interregional coordination mechanisms to share experiences with a view to strengthening protection practices. 115. The Special Rapporteur recommends that civil society and human rights defenders: (a) Develop strategies to raise general awareness about the right to defend rights and to be protected for exercising that right, including through promoting the self-identification of human rights defenders, building social support for human rights and the work of defenders, and disseminating the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders; (b) Foster a culture of “holistic security”, focusing in particular on the physical, digital and psychosocial dimensions of security, and facilitate the internalization of security awareness individually and collectively; (c) Build and support networks among defenders and their allies at all levels, critically reviewing their impact on the protection of defenders and ensuring diversity and inclusiveness in the scope of work and membership; (d) Develop concrete ways to strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities of defenders, in particular on how to protect their rights and to manage their security; 22

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