A/HRC/40/65 best practice about the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and entrenching human rights in parliamentary debates and decision-making. 33. Participants discussed how certain kinds of political discourse to obtain electoral benefit may lead to hate crimes and destabilize society. They noted that some so-called liberal democracies were restricting human rights and there was less trust of multilateralism, evidenced by the fact that certain States had opted out of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Participants also shared concerns for the safety of journalists. They acknowledged that freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, was a prerequisite for democratic societies and was essential to the enjoyment of other rights. Participants mentioned that parliamentarians and the press must push back against populists. 34. Participants discussed how parliaments could play a role in promoting human rights when there were impacts beyond national boundaries. They considered how parliaments could reconcile divisions within society when parliamentarians were so divided. They called on parliamentarians to ensure that States abided by international human rights norms and standards. In relation to migration, participants acknowledged that there was often inappropriate provision for migrants and that migrants had much to offer their host countries. Parliaments should promote dialogue on migration and engage with migration as a positive force, making it clear that States could not send migrants back to places where they knew that they would be persecuted. 35. In response to the discussion, panellists noted that parliaments could lead on human rights, especially when the executive was busy with other issues. Parliamentarians were well placed to consistently apply a human rights “test” to policies and legislation. It was acknowledged that legislators must take the lead in addressing human rights challenges, abstain from using hateful and divisive rhetoric, lead by example and build inclusive, respectful and responsible societies. B. Recommendations 36. Parliamentary rules of procedure should facilitate full, fair and informed parliamentary debate. Parliamentarians should use respectful language and uphold human dignity at all times. Parliaments should not accept hate speech, xenophobia, racism or any other form of intolerance within their debating chambers. Parliaments should have mechanisms to sanction parliamentarians who fail to refrain from such behaviour. 37. Parliamentarians should speak out against hate speech and explain how it corrodes democratic processes. They should counter populist behaviour by ensuring that their own language does not deepen divisions and that they do not discriminate against minority groups, and practise equal opportunity without discrimination. Likeminded parliamentarians should work across national boundaries to counter populist appeals and defend the human rights of vulnerable populations. 38. Parliamentarians should consider policies and proposed legislation from a human rights and anti-discrimination standpoint and ensure that no person or group is disadvantaged by a policy or practice. Parliamentarians should push back against the use of national security concerns to legitimize policies and practices, such as antiterrorism legislation, with discriminatory consequences. 39. Governments and parliaments should promote multilateralism and regional and international interparliamentary cooperation. Parliamentarians should use interparliamentary cooperation mechanisms to work with international counterparts to defend human rights. 40. States should take a human rights-based approach to addressing the issue of migration and should work with States of origin, transit and destination to design policies and practices that place human dignity at the centre. Parliaments must recognize the importance of, and promote an inclusive dialogue on, migration, involving different ministries, local authorities, international organizations and civil 10