A safe and enabling environment to empower human rights work 22. The UN Human Rights Council has urged states “to create a safe and enabling envi- ronment in which human rights defenders can operate free from hindrance and insecurity (…).”27 In turn, OSCE participating States have committed to “promote conditions throughout its region in which all can fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms under the protection of effective democratic institutions, due judicial process and the rule of law. This includes secure environments and institutions for peaceful debate and expression of interests by all individuals and groups of society.”28 23. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defend- ers, a safe and enabling environment includes the following: a conducive legal, institutional and administrative framework; access to justice and an end to impunity for violations against defenders; a strong and independent national human rights institution; policies and programmes with specific attention to women defenders; effective protection policies and mechanisms with specific attention to groups at risk; non-state actors that respect and support the work of human rights defenders; safe and open access to international human rights bodies; and a strong, dynamic and diverse community of defenders.29 24. Such an environment, therefore, requires the effective protection of the physi- cal and psychological integrity, liberty and security and dignity of human rights defenders, as well as the realization of a variety of other fundamental human rights that are instrumental for the full enjoyment of the right to defend human rights. 25. Although both areas are intrinsically intertwined, the Guidelines focus separately on the security and safety of human rights defenders, and thereafter on other elements of a safe and enabling environment. 27  See UN Human Rights Council Resolution A/HRC/RES/22/6, para. 2. Similarly, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has called on Council of Europe member states to “create an environment conducive to the work of human rights defenders, enabling individuals, groups and associations to freely carry out activities, (…) to promote and strive for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms (…)”, see “Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on Council of Europe action to improve the protection of human rights defenders and promote their activities”, Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 6 February 2008, para. 2, <https:// wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1245887&Site=CM>. 28  See Document of the Eleventh Meeting of the Ministerial Council, “OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in the Twenty-First Century”, Maastricht 2003, para. 36. 29  Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, A/HRC/25/55, 23 December 2013, para. 61. 30 Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders