A/HRC/20/29
B.
Work streams and focus criteria
63.
Led by the broad strategic considerations described above, and subject to available
resources and capacity, the Working Group proposes to pursue three work streams through
which it will deliver its mandate: global dissemination, promoting implementation, and
embedding in global governance frameworks. Within these broad programmes of work,
further focus criteria have been applied to shape the selection of particular priorities.
1.
Global dissemination
64.
The Working Group sees dissemination of the Guiding Principles not as an end in
itself, but as a necessary means towards their comprehensive and effective implementation.
Given the broad scope and limited time frame of the mandate, and in order to ensure that all
relevant stakeholders are aware and understand the core content of the Guiding Principles,
the Working Group will focus on disseminating the Guiding Principles to the actors where
it considers that the contribution to implementation will be greatest. The Working Group
will therefore prioritize its engagement to promote dissemination with actors that fall in the
following categories:
(a)
New audiences: Stakeholders who are not yet aware of the content or the
implications of the Guiding Principles, who may include, for example, audiences outside
OECD, domestic and extended supply-chain businesses, State-owned enterprises, small and
medium-sized enterprises and networks of civil society, community-based and grass-roots
organizations, among others;
(b)
Multipliers: Networks and institutions that can disseminate the Guiding
Principles to large groups of relevant actors; these include regional institutions, business
associations, development agencies, and corporate social responsibility and sustainability
platforms;
(c)
Catalysts: Those able to assist in the prompt implementation of the Guiding
Principles, including institutions and groups providing technical assistance and capacitybuilding programmes to business and Governments, as well as groups that can help inform
and empower communities to take up human rights issues affected by business operations,
and create demand for implementation. It is expected that engagement of this group will
promote the empowerment of rights-holders, and particularly communities in vulnerable
situations, including indigenous communities, to become aware of and exercise their rights
in the face of adverse impact caused by business.
65.
The Working Group envisages that, through this programme of global
dissemination, the Guiding Principles will bring much needed clarity to the innumerable
business-related human rights challenges around the world by providing a common
language and approach shared by all stakeholders. The ultimate aim is to support and create
demand for implementation.
2.
Promoting implementation
66.
Many elements of the mandate of the Working Group point towards the overarching
objective of the effective and comprehensive implementation of the Guiding Principles by
States and enterprises. In this context, the Working Group highlights in particular the fact
that the Human Rights Council instructed it to integrate a gender perspective throughout the
work of the mandate and to give special attention to persons living in vulnerable situations,
in particular children. Bearing this in mind, the Working Group foresees a variety of
pathways towards implementation spanning a range of legal, institutional and business
settings. Although the Working Group cannot drive or oversee implementation efforts
alone, it can, and will, promote such efforts wherever possible and appropriate. This will
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