A/HRC/32/20 of expression and association, is pluralistic and non-discriminatory, upholds the rule of law and promotes transparency and access to information. 7. Allowing voices to be heard, even when they express criticism or unpopular views, is key to holding decision makers to account and to ensure that policies are reviewed, lessons learned and improvements made. Countries where civil society space is protected reap significant dividends in terms of long-term stability. 8. Vibrant civil society participation in the United Nations human rights system is indispensable to the effective protection and promotion of human rights. Civil society actors identify protection and other gaps in the international architecture, alert the international community of impending crises and campaign for the creation of new standards and mechanisms. Their participation enriches the system’s responses by linking them to what is happening at the country level. 9. Yet, civil society is under attack in too many places, and with an increasing variety of weapons. States that seek to restrict civil society space continue to find creative ways to put pressure on civil society, whether by restricting freedoms by law or resorting to repressive and violent methods to silence voices perceived as critical. Such approaches are easily and increasingly replicated in all regions. Civil society also faces threats from other actors, such as non-State armed groups. There are a growing number of allegations of intimidation and threats against civil society actors, including environmental and land rights activists, by the private sector as well. In many countries, women civil society actors face disproportionately adverse reactions, based on discriminatory stereotypes, by both State and non-State actors attempting to delegitimize their work and isolate them from their communities. 10. The OHCHR global thematic strategy, “Widening the democratic space”, provides a framework to strengthen work with civil society, supporting efforts to expand and protect civil society space. The Office implements this priority through over 500 activities at headquarters and in its field presences worldwide. 11. Civil society engagement can be viewed as a threshold issue: if space exists for civil society to engage, there is a greater likelihood that all rights will be better protected. Conversely, the closing of civil society space, and threats and reprisals against civil society activists, are early warning signs of instability. Over time, policies that delegitimize, isolate and repress people calling for different approaches or legitimately claiming their rights can exacerbate frustrations and lead to instability or even conflict. II. Conditions for creating and maintaining civil society space: good practices A. Supportive legal framework and effective access to justice 1. Legislation 12. The right to freedom of opinion and expression and to peaceful assembly and association and the right to participate in public affairs, together with the principle of nondiscrimination3 serve as vehicles for civic activity. It is through the safe and free exercise of 3 4 These rights are guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (arts. 19, 21, 22 and 25); the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (arts. 8 and 15); the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (art. 3); the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (art. 5); the