A/HRC/25/55 against women human rights defenders and combating impunity by ensuring that those responsible for violations and abuses, are promptly and impartially brought to justice. F. Non-State actors’ respect and support for the work of defenders 102. Non-State actors, including private companies, can also play a key role in the promotion and protection of the rights and activities of defenders, and therefore in the consolidation of a safe and enabling environment for defenders to conduct their work. As the Special Rapporteur has repeatedly highlighted, it is paramount that non-State actors acknowledge and respect the important role of defenders in ensuring the full enjoyment of human rights by all (A/65/223). 103. The Special Rapporteur continues to receive credible reports and allegations indicating that non-State actors, including private corporations, are involved in violations against defenders, including stigmatization, threats, harassment, attacks, death threats and killings. Attacks are sometimes committed by groups which are directly or indirectly set off by States, either by providing logistical support or by condoning their actions, explicitly or implicitly. 104. Defenders working on the right of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender persons are subjected to stigmatization and attacks by, inter alia, community and faith leaders or groups and the media. The Special Rapporteur has raised the difficult situation of this group in various communications and during country visits. She has also recommended that authorities remove legal provisions that hinder and stigmatize these defenders’ work, and provide them with adequate protection and public support. 105. As stated above, the Special Rapporteur has condemned security guards employed by large-scale development corporations who have threatened to kill, harass and attack defenders working on issues related to access to land and natural resources during peaceful protests. She has also raised cases where local authorities have allegedly colluded with the private sector, and cases in which private companies had aided and abetted the commission of violations against human rights defenders. 106. The Special Rapporteur has urged non-State actors to respect, and ideally support, the activities of human rights defenders. They should refrain from infringing upon the rights of defenders and should use the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to ensure their compliance with international human rights law and standards. G. Safe and open access to the United Nations and international human rights bodies 107. The United Nations, regional and international human rights bodies are part of the environment in which defenders operate. Therefore, it is essential that defenders have a safe and unhindered access to such bodies for their work and their protection. 108. The Special Rapporteur firmly believes in the value of the universal periodic review (UPR) mechanisms in contributing to a safe and enabling environment for defenders. As she has previously highlighted, given that the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders does not have a monitoring body, the UPR as a mechanism is an excellent opportunity to give visibility to the situation of defenders and contribute to their protection (A/HRC/10/12, para. 40). 109. The challenge for civil society and human rights defenders is to use this valuable tool to enhance visibility and protection of defenders on the ground. In this regard, States have an important role to play at different stages of the process, mostly by widely 17