A/HRC/21/21
of humanitarian assistance, and the key entities identified in the present report. The United
Nations system task team set up by the Secretary-General to support efforts to define and
advance the post-2015 development agenda, as well as system-wide planning to support the
implementation of recommendations made at the Rio+20 Conference, provide another
important platform in this context.14
30.
The strategic embedding of the business and human rights agenda and the Guiding
Principles at the macro-level of the United Nations system will be necessary in order to
achieve the further integration of the Principles into existing structures, programmes and
activities, at both the global and national levels, as identified in the section below. This will
strengthen the Organization’s role in advancing policy coherence and convergence of
standards, as well as create greater synergies with other initiatives. It will also strengthen
the role of the United Nations in the promotion of enhanced accountability and redress for
business-related human rights impact, supporting Governments and business enterprises to
fulfil their respective responsibilities, and support national human rights institutions and
civil society to advance the implementation of the Guiding Principles.
B.
Integrating the Guiding Principles: specific areas of work within the
United Nations
1.
Human rights system
31.
OHCHR plays a central role in the implementation of the business and human rights
agenda and in taking appropriate action to promote and support embedding and integration
of the Guiding Principles into relevant focus areas of existing United Nations system
coordination mechanisms, together with their respective secretariats. The efforts of
OHCHR in this regard will be reinforced through enhanced strategic engagement with
actors such as the United Nations Development Group, the Peacebuilding Support Office,
UNDP, the Global Compact, ILO, the UNEP Finance Initiative and others.
32.
A particular concern with regard to the integration of the business and human rights
agenda and the wider task of advancing the Guiding Principles effectively is the risk that
the full benefits of convergence brought about by the adoption of the Principles could be
weakened in the implementation process. Various actors are developing their own
interpretations of the Guiding Principles, a situation that could lead to fragmentation in
interpretation and divergence of understanding among stakeholder groups. To help avoid
that outcome, OHCHR developed an interpretive guide on the corporate responsibility to
respect human rights as set out in the Guiding Principles. 15 More such guidance is,
however, needed.
33.
The institutional focal point within the United Nations system for providing uniform
guidance and clarification on issues relating to the interpretation of the Guiding Principles
rests with OHCHR,16 in close collaboration with the Working Group, as well as other
human rights mechanisms and agencies or organizations, as appropriate. As efforts to
advance capacity-building and the implementation of the Guiding Principles gain
momentum, and both internal and external stakeholders seek guidance and support, the
rationale for “one-stop shopping” to ensure alignment with the Guiding Principles is further
strengthened.
14
See for example
www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/BNUNGuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR.pdf.
15
Available from www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/RtRInterpretativeGuide.pdf.
16
A/HRC/14/27, para. 126.
8
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