A/HRC/25/55 61. The Special Rapporteur has repeatedly underlined the need to create and consolidate a safe and enabling environment for defenders and has elaborated on some of the basic elements that she believes are necessary in this regard. These elements include a conducive legal, institutional and administrative framework; access to justice and an end to impunity for violations against defenders; strong and independent national human rights institutions; effective protection policies and mechanisms paying attention to groups at risk; specific attention to women defenders; non-State actors that respect and support the work of defenders; safe and open access to international human rights bodies; and a strong and dynamic community of defenders. A. Conducive legal, institutional and administrative framework 62. One of the key elements of a safe and enabling environment for defenders is the existence of laws and provisions at all levels, including administrative provisions, that protect, support and empower defenders, and are in compliance with international human rights law and standards. Moreover, institutional frameworks should be shaped in such a way that they are receptive and supportive of defenders’ work. 63. The Special Rapporteur concurs with the view that, in countries where human rights are specifically recognized and protected in domestic law, those rights are more likely to be respected and realized in practice. Beyond their normative value, she further believes that human rights laws can have an important educational role in that such laws signal the values for which a particular society stands. The adoption of laws that explicitly guarantee the rights contained in the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders is crucial in that it could contribute to building an enabling environment and give these rights legitimacy. Furthermore, such laws could contribute to building wider societal support for the demand of fulfilling these rights. 64. The Special Rapporteur has provided guidance on how various types of domestic legislation could contribute to a conducive environment for human rights defenders (A/67/292). She regrets that legislation is used in a number of countries to restrain the activities of human rights defenders and criminalize them, which is in breach of international human rights law, principles and standards. Anti-terrorism and public security legislation has risen to prominence in the last decade and, in many countries, such legislation is used to harass and prosecute defenders in the name of public security. 65. The Special Rapporteur remains concerned by the trends of judicial harassment and stigmatization of women human rights defenders, including those working on religious practices in relation to blasphemy legislation, and defenders working on sexual and reproductive rights in relation to legislation on public morals. She is also concerned with recent legislative moves to purportedly curb the promotion of homosexuality and the constraints that defenders of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons face due to criminalization of same-sex relations in over 75 countries worldwide. 66. The exercise of public freedoms is essential in any democratic society but even more so when it comes to claiming and defending rights. This is why the Special Rapporteur has repeatedly underlined the importance of defenders being able to exercise their rights to freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly without undue restrictions in law or practice. 67. The Special Rapporteur has noted that there is a number of worrying developments with regard to legislation regulating associations, including their establishment, functioning and funding. During her tenure, she has also seen the introduction of restrictions on the types of activities that associations can engage in, such as political rights advocacy. 11