NATIONAL ACTION 3: Raise awareness of the rights of Human Rights Defenders • Mainstream HRD rights in NHRI promotion activities • Develop specific campaigns about HRD rights • Conduct awareness-raising campaigns among HRDs • Make key resources available in local languages APF members commit to strengthening the promotion of HRDs through activities that raise awareness of their rights. ‘Awareness-raising’ in this context will be considered as broadly as possible, particularly acknowledging and countering the vilification, defamation and smear campaigns often endured by HRDs. It will ensure that the role of HRDs is mainstreamed in promotional activities on different thematic issues, advancing positive narratives on HRDs. It will also involve standalone activities that focus on the rights of HRDs, including a specific focus on women HRDs. Awareness-raising and promotional activities will include public information campaigns using different media and targeting a range of different stakeholder groups, including government, civil society, the private sector, and members of the international community. Outreach and awareness-raising among HRDs is also an important exercise for NHRIs. This will build a stronger understanding of protection mechanisms available to HRDs, strengthening access to justice, and will also serve to strengthen HRD networks. APF members will support greater awareness of rights among HRDs by convening workshops and other informal dialogues for the human rights community, and by ensuring the HRDs Declaration and other key resources are available in national and local languages. NATIONAL ACTION 4: Develop ‘early warning systems’ • Establish HRD focal point staff at NHRIs • Develop and equip rapid response teams • Set up national hotlines and other communication channels for HRDs at risk APF members will develop and strengthen a range of early warning systems to deliver protection directly to HRDs, with a view to preventing violations before they occur. Identifying and responding to isolated incidents at an early stage will allow NHRIs and their partners to prevent larger-scale violations from taking place. NHRIs also play an essential role in bringing these incidents to the attention of the international community – through the Human Rights Council and other reporting mechanisms – which will contribute to the prevention of systematic violations. There are various features of early warning systems. The most appropriate design will be determined by the context in which the NHRI operates. These systems may involve HRD ‘focal point’ staff or commissioners at NHRIs, emergency hotlines for HRDs to report violations and threats, rapid response teams among NHRIs and defender networks, special protection mechanisms when responding to individual complaints from HRDs, national respite and relocation programs for HRDs at risk, among other features. APF members will work closely with HRDs and their networks nationally to determine the most suitable mechanisms, seeking technical support and guidance from the APF and international stakeholders where required. The development of guidance on HRD early warning systems will feature in the APF’s regional capacity development on HRDs as described in Regional Action 7. Part 3: National Actions | 27