Human Rights Although the OSCE participating States have made extensive and detailed commitments to promote, protect and fulfil universal human rights, the effective implementation of these commitments continues to face a number of challenges across the OSCE area. In line with its mandate, ODIHR supports participating States in the implementation of their human dimension commitments through its monitoring efforts, capacity-building activities and development of practical resources. ODIHR’s human rights programmes have addressed key issues and developments in participating States, ensuring prompt reaction to requests and providing tailored assistance to best fit the expressed needs. In doing so, ODIHR has strengthened its co-operation with governmental authorities, national human rights institutions and civil society alike. Main Issues Support for Human Rights Defenders and National Human Rights Institutions Human rights are best secured when citizens, either individually or collectively, are able to hold their government accountable. Human rights defenders and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play a crucial role in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the OSCE region. In a number of participating States, human rights defenders continue to face challenges, including pressure from authorities, restrictions of their right to freedom of assembly and association, and arbitrary detention and ill-treatment. ODIHR, thus, works directly with civil society representatives and organizations to improve participating States’ implementation of their human dimension commitments — and thereby the environment for human rights defenders’ work — and to strengthen co-operation between civil society and state authorities. ODIHR also assists participating States in the establishment and strengthening of independent and efficient NHRIs, as these mechanisms greatly contribute to monitoring of and response to human rights violations at the national level. Human Rights Training and Education Human rights education is essential for the effective promotion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. ODIHR is very active in this area, working with the OSCE participating States to build the capacity of governments and civil society to educate about, through and for human rights. In particular, 40 ODIHR Annual Report 2011