A/HRC/31/55 75. For those who are unable to return home, asylum offers more permanent protection for defenders.16 In some programmes of relocation, this is explicitly recognized by ensuring that defenders most at risk receive asylum from the outset. It is important that asylum processes and decisions be timely and well informed about the situation of defenders, and that international protection complies with international human rights and refugee law, in particular the observation of the principle of non-refoulement. V. Fostering an enabling environment for defenders 76. The environment in which defenders operate must support the exercise of the human rights that are fundamental to both their activities and their safety. The Special Rapporteur has, in previous reports, outlined some of the elements necessary in this regard, and also some of the global trends that have caused the environment in which many defenders work to deteriorate in recent years (see A/HRC/25/55, paras. 54-126). Building on these elements, the Special Rapporteur will now identify good practices that can support the construction and consolidation of a safe and enabling environment for defenders. 77. In accordance with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Special Rapporteur believes that the State, as the main duty-bearer, holds the main responsibility for ensuring that defenders can enjoy a safe and enabling environment. Other actors, however, also play an important role in supporting States, independently and in partnership, to achieve this goal. An enabling environment for defenders must be one in which their work is rooted in the broad support of society and in which the institutions and processes of government are aligned with their safety and the aim of their activities. Both are essential for the creation of an environment in which perpetrators of violations of defenders’ rights are held to account and are not allowed to enjoy impunity for their actions. 17 A. Building support for human rights and the work of defenders 1. Human rights awareness 78. As noted above, greater public visibility of threats to defenders can serve a protective function. Indeed, public awareness of human rights and the situation of defenders may even prevent human rights violations against defenders. This awareness and support can be fostered by providing the general public with accurate information on the activities and situation of defenders by means of traditional and social media. Members of the media themselves can be defenders, and can thus face many of the same risks as other defenders (see A/HRC/19/55, paras. 118-122). 79. Defenders can use the media to build support in a number of innovative ways. At the local level, grass-roots media, such as community-based radio stations, have been used, as a platform to discuss their activities and human rights, and thus raise the awareness of the local community. Others have made use of new technology, including social media. Public campaigns on Facebook and Twitter in support of defenders have built the support of new audiences. 80. The media can also, however, reproduce and reinforce patterns of inequality and marginalization; for example, women defenders and LGBTI activists are sometimes targeted in social media smear campaigns and vilified by mainstream media outlets. Some 16 17 14 Martin Jones, “Protecting human rights defenders at risk: asylum and temporary international relocation”, International Journal of Human Rights, vol. 19, No. 7 (2015), pp. 935-960. The Special Rapporteur will examine the issue of impunity in a more focused study at a later stage.