A/HRC/16/44 activists. The largest proportion of these (13 communications) was sent to Colombia, with others being sent to countries including Gambia, Guatemala, Honduras, Myanmar and Zimbabwe. 52. The mandate also sent 40 communications concerning alleged violations against women defenders advocating the rights of indigenous communities, community leaders and those advocating for the rights of women within indigenous communities. The vast majority of such defenders worked in American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico, but also in other countries, notably India and the Philippines, among others. 53. A related group of women defenders are those working on environmental issues, including access to land, were the subject of 33 communications sent by the mandate during this period, a large majority of which were sent to countries in the Americas. The work carried out by these women typically includes advocating the preservation of lands and communities which may be threatened by large-scale industrial projects, generally relating to the extractive and energy-related industries, such as mines, hydroelectric dams, and pipelines. 54. Family members of women defenders, along with female relatives and associates of male defenders, are also commonly targeted as a way of curtailing the activities of the defenders. In some circumstances, attacks against family members and children of women defenders are reflective of traditional gender stereotypes of women as mothers and caregivers. The mandate has on many occasions expressed concern regarding the physical and psychological integrity of family members of women defenders and female relatives and associates of male defenders. From 2004 to 2009, some 86 communications sent by the mandate dealt with violations against family members or associates of women defenders, or female family members and/or associates of male human rights defenders. 2. (a) Risks and violations reported Threats, death threats and killings 55. During the period (2004-2009) cited, the mandate sent 292 communications that expressed concern in relation to threats and death threats against women defenders or those working on women’s rights or gender-related issues and their family members. Of these, 130 explicitly concerned death threats. 56. Threats and death threats – which may be delivered in person, by telephone, in printed pamphlets or mock obituaries and electronically via text message or e-mail -- can be seen as representative of risks, but also as violations in themselves which may significantly harm the psychological integrity of the defender, as well as possibly predating an attack. These threats are directed not only at the defenders themselves but also their family members, as well as female family members of male human rights defenders. 57. Of the aforementioned 292 communications sent regarding threats and death threats in the 2004-2009 period, slightly more than half concerned defenders working in the Americas. Of these, large numbers pertained to Colombia (45 communications), Mexico (27 communications), Guatemala (18 communications), Brazil (14 communications), Honduras (12 communications), and Peru (10 communications), among others. The prevalence of explicit death threats was particularly notable in this region. 58. The human rights activities carried out by those subjected to threats and death threats in the Americas region ranged very widely. Among the groups which appear to be most at risk are women defenders working to fight impunity for alleged human rights violations, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. Moreover, those working on indigenous rights also appear to be at risk, particularly in Brazil, Chile, 11