assistance and protection measures for human rights defenders at risk, such as the issue of emergency visas.”435 Together with civil society organizations and human rights defender networks, parliamentarians can also play an important role in facilitating the support of national or local authorities and public or private institutions for hosting or financially assisting the individual concerned after relocation. 282. A s the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders has pointed out, development aid is also an important tool to ensure the protection of human rights defenders in third countries as well as a safe and enabling environment for their work. In this context, she has underlined the importance of a coherent and sustainable response from donors in cases of human rights violations, as well as the need for funding to support the capacity and safety of human rights defenders as part of development aid.436 International co-operation and human rights mechanisms 283. In emphasizing their joint responsibility to uphold OSCE principles – with partic- ular reference to democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights – OSCE participating States have reaffirmed their determination to co-operate within the OSCE and with its institutions and representatives.437 OSCE participating States have committed themselves to joint measures of co-operation, both in the OSCE and through those organizations of which they are members, to offer assistance towards enhancing compliance with OSCE principles and commitments, and to strengthen existing co-operative instruments and develop new ones in order to respond efficiently to requests for assistance from participating States.438 As such, they have reaffirmed that “[t]he OSCE will continue to be an active player across its region, using its institutions – the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), and the Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) – its field operations and its Secretariat to the full. They are important instruments in assisting all participating States to implement their commitments, including respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.”439 In order to create an environment where human rights defenders can operate freely, the European Union Guidelines have committed to strengthen the existing regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders, including ODIHR and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, and to support the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council, including the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.440 435  PACE Resolution 1660 (2009), para. 13.5. 436  See, for example, A/HRC/22/47/Add.3, 26 February 2013, para. 65. 437  Istanbul 1999, “Charter for European Security: III. Our Common Response”, para. 14. 438  Ibid. 439  Maastricht 2003, “OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in the Twenty-First ­Century”, para. 20. 440  132 See the European Union Guidelines, para. 12, pp. 7-9, and para. 13, pp. 9-10. Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders