A/HRC/27/35 one’s vulnerability. Such elements indicated that the much-needed enabling environment in which journalists could play their role freely and without interference was absent in the region. Ms. Saady also highlighted the challenges faced by local journalists, who faced additional and different risks, not the least because their families lived in the country where they worked. Local journalists therefore needed more protection, including by the international media houses that use their services. 17. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression stressed that, while all individuals have the same rights and deserve the same protection for the exercise of those rights, some individuals – such as journalists – face specific risks and dangers because of the role they play in society, and should therefore receive special protection. It was the responsibility of the State to ensure this protection, regardless of whether the perpetrator of violence was a State or non-State actor. The Special Rapporteur listed four elements crucial for the safety of journalists. First, there should be political will, which should be expressed by those in a position of leadership. Second, there should be emergency mechanisms able to respond to urgent appeals and to address threats. Third, legal measures should be taken, such as the decriminalization of defamation and the elimination of all forms of censorship. The Special Rapporteur cited as an example the issue of national security or anti-terrorism laws being used to silence journalists investigating corruption or other sensitive matters. Fourth, impunity should be eradicated, including for example through the appointment of a special prosecutor. The Special Rapporteur also emphasized the importance of States taking proactive and preventive measures, such as training of security agencies on managing demonstrations or operating in the context of political or electoral activities, with full respect for the role of journalists while ensuring their safety. Lastly, he suggested that a United Nations declaration on the protection of journalists and the role of journalists, similar to the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders), could contribute to universal acceptance of the role and importance of free and critical journalism. 18. Responding to questions from the moderator, Mr. Smyth concurred with Ms. Saady that the overwhelming majority of journalists killed were local journalists, and stated that journalists were killed at a rate of one every 13 days. Mr. Smyth also mentioned that local investigative journalists tended to be on the frontline, indicating that, while in the 1980s they were mainly targeted for their work on human rights abuses, in the 1990s and 2000s it was more for uncovering criminal activities and collusion with corrupt officials. He also emphasized the importance of taking preventive measures, including training of law enforcement agencies and security forces on interacting with journalists. 19. Ms. Saady highlighted the challenges faced by women journalists, referring not only to rape and other forms of sexual violence and harassment, but also to defamation or disgracing, which can be very important in some local or cultural contexts. Ms. Saady deplored the large extent of hate speech and violence used against journalists, as well as the targeting of journalists in the Arab region, of which women journalists often became the first casualties. 20. Mr. Engida stated that it was too early to say whether tangible results had been achieved through the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, and that much more needed to be done. This said, the UNESCO Deputy Director-General pointed at some encouraging progress, including in the voices of journalists being heard among law enforcement officials, the acceptance of the need for training, and the amendments made to some unacceptable laws. He listed Nepal, Pakistan and Tunisia as countries where some progress had been made. 7