A/HRC/32/20 public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. 27. High-level messages, awards and honours send important signals to the public concerning the value of civil society’s contributions, as do annual commemorative events such as the International Day of Democracy or Human Rights Day, among many others. 28. Changing terminology sends a powerful signal, as in the case of the Council of Europe, which acknowledged civil society’s contribution by changing the consultative status of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to participatory status. 29. Nurturing a culture of volunteerism by enabling students to work with civil society organizations, as is the case of human rights organizations in Hungary, has the potential to increase young people’s interest in civil society work.21 Initiatives offered by the business community, including by law firms and networks, volunteer projects or working for part of a year with civil society are similarly supportive of an environment conducive to civil society activity. 30. States that have retained compulsory military service often provide for alternative service, including working for a civil society organization, demonstrating that working for civil society is an equally valid way for citizens to serve their country. 31. Addressing threats and attacks targeting civil society actors should be part of building a tolerant culture. For instance, the Government of Guatemala22 has recognized specific protection needs and established units to analyse attacks on human rights defenders comprised of officials from the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Human Rights Presidential Commission, in addition to civil society representatives, to provide a safe space for debate and explore effective preventive and protection options. 32. Use of derogatory terminology to delegitimize civil society actors, for instance labelling them “foreign agents”, “moles” or “unpatriotic” in laws or in State-supported media, generally aims to deter criticism, discourage free expression, increase negative public opinion of civil society actors and distract attention from the issues at stake. States have an obligation to protect people from acts by private individuals or entities that would impair the enjoyment of freedom of opinion and expression. 23 33. The Council of Europe signed a memorandum of understanding with several international NGOs and networks concerned with press freedom and launched an Internet platform to promote the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists. Efforts are ongoing within United Nations human rights mechanisms to expand the space for civil society and provide a safe and enabling environment for civil society within United Nations premises. And yet, civil society actors continue to face reprisals and intimidation because of their engagement with the United Nations, as described in the Secretary-General’s report on reprisals (A/HRC/30/29) and as noted by the High Commissioner in his address to the Human Rights Council at its thirtieth session. Many human rights mechanisms have developed their own systems, or designated rapporteurs, to address cases of reprisal, including the human rights treaty bodies’ guidelines against intimidation or reprisals (“San José Guidelines”). 21 22 23 8 Civic Space Initiative. Permanent Mission of Guatemala to the United Nations Office at Geneva. See also the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the activities of his office in Guatemala (A/HRC/28/3/Add.1 and Add.1/Corr.2). Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 34, para. 7; Promo-LEX.