A/HRC/37/33 the public, allowing open access to development, demographic and statistical data that could be invaluable in a crisis (para. 21). 58. A robust system of birth registration, maintained throughout the emergency situation, is therefore vital to protect a child’s right to a nationality, in accordance with article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and prevents statelessness. In doing so, it provides a reliable source of information. Registration documents are needed for access to humanitarian relief, health care, education and other services, and can be crucial for family reunification and for establishing a child’s age, which can protect a child from child labour, early and forced marriage, and premature enlistment in armed forces. V. International cooperation and the role of the private sector 59. Given the fragility of some States affected by humanitarian situations, international assistance and cooperation play an important role, particularly in the initial response. The need for such cooperation is clearly spelled out in both international 38 and regional instruments, and should include cooperation between States, international and regional organizations, and national and international non-governmental organizations. Nonetheless, Governments retain the primary responsibility to respond to their citizens, and to be the lead actor in this regard. 60. The private sector also has an important role to play in responding to humanitarian situations. The Children’s Rights and Business Principles, developed by UNICEF, the United Nations Global Compact and Save the Children, set out a framework for businesses to respect children’s rights, including in the context of emergencies, by avoiding causing or contributing to the infringement of children’s rights in such situations. They also call upon businesses to help to protect children whose rights have been affected by supporting emergency responses and making a positive contribution to peace and development. For example, following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, businesses provided or mobilized $565 million in humanitarian assistance.39 61. Businesses operating in humanitarian situations can have a positive impact on children’s rights through responsible and context-sensitive core business operations, advocacy and public engagement, partnership and collective action. Their engagement in support of children in humanitarian emergencies can also include business-to-business and business-humanitarian cooperation. In addition, they can take the lead in encouraging others – both States and businesses – to act.40 For example, Deutsche Post DHL, in conjunction with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has helped to develop a database to track in-kind contributions to identify outstanding needs and help to reduce unsolicited donations in humanitarian situations. The company has also worked with the United Nations Development Programme and the Governments of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lebanon, Nepal and Turkey on “Get airports ready for disasters” projects to prepare airports to receive incoming relief cargo following a natural disaster (A/67/363, para. 44). 62. States are not relieved of their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols thereto when their functions are delegated or outsourced to a private business or non-profit organization.41 States must require business to undertake rigorous child rights due diligence and child rights impact assessments. This can include a requirement to publish actions taken to ensure that companies’ operations do not contribute to serious violations of children’s rights, and a prohibition on the sale or transfer 38 39 40 41 See for example Convention on the Rights of the Child, arts. 4, 24(4) and 28(3), and Committee on the Rights of the Child, general comments No. 5 (2003), paras. 60-62, and No. 19, paras. 35-39. See Stephen A. Zyck and Randolph Kent, Humanitarian crises, emergency preparedness and response: the role of business and the private sector, UKaid, July 2014. UNICEF, Children in Humanitarian Crises (see footnote 2), p. 27. Committee on the Rights of the Child general comment No. 16 (2013). 13