of their work, give recognition to individual human rights defenders and thereby strengthen the legitimacy and status accorded to human rights work in society. 39. While fully respecting the right to freedom of opinion and expression, states should combat advocacy of hatred and other forms of intolerance against human rights defenders that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, including where this is conducted online. Governments and state institutions at all levels – national, regional and local – should publicly condemn any such manifestations or actual attacks against human rights defenders whenever they occur. Conduct that meets the threshold of constituting incitement to national, racial or religious hatred, as prescribed in international standards, must be prohibited by domestic law and sanctioned accordingly. These laws must be in full compliance with international human rights standards. 40. To avoid marginalization of human rights defenders, state institutions should actively and constructively engage with human rights defenders to empower their participation, including in public debates. State institutions should recognize the relevance and importance of their contributions, even if these are critical of the authorities or challenge them. Particular attention should also be given to strengthening the role of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) that are created and operate in conformity with the Paris Principles,7 and appropriate mechanisms should be in place to ensure effective follow-up by the government to NHRI recommendations. Regular dialogue between human rights defenders and state institutions should be facilitated by applying appropriate consultative mechanisms. These mechanisms should also serve as a basis to develop joint actions, campaigns and human rights education programmes to raise awareness of human rights issues of concern and to encourage the use of complaints mechanisms and other means of enhancing accountability and addressing human rights abuses in the country. III. A SAFE AND ENABLING ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO HUMAN RIGHTS WORK 41. States should respect, encourage and facilitate human rights activity. They should put in place practical measures aimed at creating safe and conducive environments that enable and empower human rights defenders to pursue their activities freely and without undue limitations, including work conducted individually and collectively with others, domestically and across borders. The full enjoyment of other rights and freedoms is instrumental to realizing the right to defend human rights. 7  See UN General Assembly Resolution 48/134, “National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights”, UN Doc. A/RES/48/134, adopted on 20 December 1993. 8 Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders