A/HRC/24/29 stressed that the summary of the discussion should be considered a road map to guide further action on this issue. They also emphasized that more coordination was needed among United Nations bodies and mechanisms in reacting to reprisals, which should also be addressed systematically in the framework of the universal periodic review, the treaty bodies and the special procedures. 10. The Executive Director of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, Shire Sheikh Ahmed, stressed during the above-mentioned panel discussion that since States do not always live up to their responsibility to ensure the safety of those who cooperate with the United Nations, practical responses to assist victims had been developed by civil society, drawing largely on the work of existing organizations and networks that support human rights defenders who face threats as a result of their work. These include the temporary evacuation and relocation of persons at risk, trial observation, the provision of legal assistance, the implementation of practical security measures, and public and private advocacy to raise awareness of violations or to seek solutions through private dialogue. In this context, he pointed to the contribution of networks in responding to and preventing reprisals.4 Civil society has an equally important role to play in ensuring that cases of intimidation and reprisals are brought to the attention of the relevant mechanisms. In this context, a new tool has been developed by the International Service for Human Rights to provide guidance to civil society organizations on possible responses to alleged reprisals.5 11. Given that non-governmental organizations with consultative status with the Economic and Social Council have privileged access to the Human Rights Council and other United Nations mechanisms, it is critical that the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations apply the criteria for assessing the said organizations in a transparent and fair manner, and process applications in a timely fashion. At its 2013 resumed session, held from 20 to 29 May and on 7 June 2013, the Committee had before it 426 applications for consultative status, including applications deferred from previous sessions. Of the organizations submitting applications, the Committee recommended 161 for consultative status, deferred 219 for further consideration at its regular session in 2014, closed consideration without prejudice of 45 applications that had failed to respond to queries over two consecutive sessions, and took note of one organization withdrawing its application.6 Several stakeholders have raised concerns about the regularly large number of deferrals and the widely perceived lack of transparency in making decisions about conferring consultative status. 12. I have observed a disturbing trend apparently directed at reducing the space for civil society. This can be seen in restrictive legislative amendments to laws on freedom of association and in constraints in an increasing number of national laws and procedures that render the receipt of funds from abroad more complicated or impossible. Over the past two years, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture and the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery have experienced increasing problems in disbursing grants to non-governmental organizations through which they channel direct assistance to victims, in accordance with the mandate entrusted to them by the General Assembly. In at least three countries, regulations apparently in place make it difficult for banks to receive money transfers from abroad, and additional measures have had to be taken by the funds to ensure that payments reached their grantees. In addition, I note with concern that, in several instances, those receiving funds from abroad are subjected to 4 5 6 A/HRC/22/34, para. 31. See International Service for Human Rights, Reprisals Handbook, 2013. Available from www.files.ishr.ch/public/ishr_handbook_web.pdf. See E/2013/32 (Part II); see also A/HRC/22/34, para. 16. 5