a) refrain from any acts that violate the rights of human rights defenders because of their human rights work; b) protect human rights defenders from abuses by third parties on account of their human rights work and to exercise due diligence in doing so; and c) take proactive steps to promote the full realization of the rights of human rights defenders, including their right to defend human rights. 6. A safe and enabling environment to empower human rights work: Effective pro- tection of the dignity, physical and psychological integrity, liberty and security of human rights defenders is a pre-requisite for the realization of the right to defend human rights. Furthermore, a safe and enabling environment requires the realization of a variety of other fundamental human rights that are necessary to carry out human rights work, including the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and association, the right to participate in public affairs, freedom of movement, the right to private life and the right to unhindered access to and communication with international bodies, including international and regional human rights mechanisms. I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS 7. Recognition of the international dimension of the protection of human rights defenders: Commitments undertaken in the field of the human dimension are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all OSCE participating States. While the responsibility for the protection of human rights defenders rests primarily with states, violations of the rights of human rights defenders are not solely a matter of their internal affairs. States should, therefore, recognize the need for protecting human rights defenders both on their territories and in other states. Thus, they should set up appropriate instruments and mechanisms that deal with the protection of human rights defenders domestically and abroad. 8. Accountability of non-state actors: While states have a duty to protect human rights defenders from abuses by non-state actors, the latter can play an important role towards the realization of the rights of human rights defenders. Non-state actors should respect and recognize the rights of human rights defenders and be guided by international human rights norms in carrying out their activities. Participating States should hold them accountable if they fail to do so in accordance with domestic legal procedures and standards. 9. Equality and non-discrimination: Human rights defenders shall not be discrim- inated against in the exercise of the full range of their human rights as a result of their work. The right to defend human rights must be guaranteed without discrimination, and measures to protect human rights defenders should be reflective of the specific needs of defenders facing multiple forms of discrimination. A 2 Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders