A/HRC/21/21 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 2 July 2012 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-first session Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Contribution of the United Nations system as a whole to the advancement of the business and human rights agenda and the dissemination and implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights Report of the Secretary-General Summary In its resolution 17/4, the Human Rights Council resolution requested the SecretaryGeneral to prepare a report on how the United Nations system as a whole, including programmes and funds and specialized agencies, can contribute to the advancement of the business and human rights agenda and the dissemination and implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, addressing in particular how capacitybuilding of all relevant actors to that end can best be addressed within the United Nations system, and to present the report to the Council at its twenty-first session. The present report, prepared pursuant to that request, gives an overview of ongoing activities by entities and mechanisms in the United Nations system relevant to business and human rights. It identifies opportunities and provides recommendations for advancing the business and human rights agenda within the United Nations system by embedding the agenda, and particularly the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, across the system in coordination mechanisms, and by integrating the Guiding Principles in programmes and activities, including capacity-building efforts. It also makes recommendations for aligning the internal policies and practices of the United Nations with the Guiding Principles in order to manage risks and promote respect for human rights through its business relationships. GE.12-14833