2007-2010 to human rights defenders in order to promote their rights and activities, assist individual defenders in urgent need of protection, and reinforce the status and capacities of organizations specialized in supporting human rights defenders.181 Switzerland: Example of International Funding to Defenders182 Switzerland provides financial support to local NGOs operating in foreign countries and international NGOs working in particular in the following capacities: alerting the international community to cases of repression where human rights defenders are among the victims; facilitating access to protection mechanisms for defenders at the global and regional levels; strengthening defenders’ capacities and building up networks; and providing international visibility to defenders under threat in their own countries. Freedom-of-information legislation Defenders may need to obtain a wide range of information to be able to carry out their work. They may need, for example, access to documents related to prison conditions, government decision-making processes, or scientific or factual data held by government bodies. Such information can assist them in ascertaining facts and identifying areas where human rights abuses occur. It also ensures an informed debate on human rights issues and that governments are held accountable for their actions. It is therefore vital for the work of defenders that OSCE commitments on the freedom of information be upheld, including through freedom-of-information legislation.183 Visits by UN mandates and relevant regional mechanisms Another way for governments to improve the situation of defenders in their country is to accept visits by relevant UN mandate-holders, especially the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders. For member states of the Council of Europe, this would include receiving visits from the Council’ s commissioner for human rights; for member states of the Organization of American States, this would entail visits by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Such visits can serve to ascertain the situation of defenders in the country in question, identify areas of improvement in practice and the regulatory framework, and result in recommendations to improve cooperation between governments and defenders. As an example, the then-UN special representative visited the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 2003184 and 2007185 to study the situation regarding human rights defenders in that country. The 181 Information provided by the Slovenian EU presidency, 4 June 2008. Switzerland’ s response to ODIHR’ s questionnaire, 23 May 2008. 183 Moscow 1991, op. cit., note 127, para. 28.9: “ The participating States will endeavour to maintain freedom of expression and freedom of information, consistent with their international obligations and commitments, with a view to enabling public discussion on the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as on the lifting of the state of public emergency. They will, in conformity with international standards regarding the freedom of expression, take no measures aimed at barring journalists from the legitimate exercise of their profession other than those strictly required by the exigencies of the situation.” 184 “ Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, Hina Jilani, on her visit to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” , 27-30 January 2003, E/CN.4/2004/94/Add.2, 15 January 2004, <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/defenders/visits.htm>. 185 “ Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, Hina Jilani, on her visit to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” , 23 to 25 182 41