latter report contains a matrix comparing the situation in the country in those two years. Public acknowledgement of the value of the work of human rights defenders It is also helpful to create a domestic and international environment in which the work of defenders is publicly acknowledged and encouraged. Governments should ensure that there is public recognition of the value of the work of defenders. As discussed above, this can perform a protective function, and it can also encourage others to join the human rights community through the publicity and inspiration offered by the stories and actions of specific (groups of) defenders. An important way to publicly acknowledge the value of defenders’ work lies in the awarding of prizes and awards. A number of participating States informed ODIHR that they sponsor or collaborate on a number of awards. Examples include the European Parliament’ s Human Rights Prize,186 the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought,187 the Human Rights Award of the German Association of Judges,188 the Prize of Human Rights of the French Republic,189 and the René Cassin Prize, which was created to facilitate the teaching of citizenship and human rights in schools.190 Good practices in creating an enabling environment for human rights defenders: • • • • • • Granting direct government assistance to defenders; Assisting defenders in obtaining funding; Ensuring that defenders and human rights NGOs can receive foreign funding; Having effective freedom-of-information legislation; Receiving visits by UN mandate holders and representatives of relevant regional human rights mechanisms; Giving public recognition to defenders through prizes and awards. 2.4. Listening to, and addressing the concerns of, human rights defenders Human rights defenders can be found in both the state sector and the private sector. Whether part of the government or not, networks of individuals committed to improving the human rights situation in a particular country can create partnerships and joint campaigns for human rights. Defenders can work more effectively if governments have mechanisms in place to encourage their activities, and if they engage with defenders at various levels. Co-operation and consultation between government officials and defenders can be ad hoc or structured and long-term, facilitated by regular meetings and standing mechanisms. This view of co-operative engagement to ensure fulfilment of human dimension commitments is acknowledged in OSCE commitments.191 September 2007, A/HRC/7/28/Add.4, 3 March 2008, <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/defenders/visits.htm>. 186 Information provided by the Slovenian EU presidency, 4 June 2008. 187 Ibid. 188 Germany’ s response to ODIHR’ s questionnaire, 30 May 2008. 189 Information provided by the mediator of the French Republic, 18 June 2008. 190 Ibid. 191 Copenhagen 1990, op. cit., note 25, preamble: “ [The participating States] recognize that cooperation among themselves, as well as the active involvement of persons, groups, organizations and institutions, will be essential to ensure continuing progress towards their shared objectives.” Also see Moscow 1991, op. cit., note 127, para. 43.1: “ [The participating States will] endeavour to seek ways of 42