A/HRC/19/74 public authorities and civil society. Given their independent nature and their influential position within their own country, these institutions make it possible to develop and implement measures to promote effective and active cooperation among the various stakeholders at the national and regional as well as the international levels. 32. International cooperation is no longer the preserve of the State alone. It has taken on a transnational dimension that encompasses economic actors, as represented by the business world and trade unions, and civil society actors, non-governmental organizations, associations, religious organizations and different schools of thought. The increasingly structured partnership that the United Nations and other international organizations have established with these different non-State actors adds a new dimension to international cooperation. However, it must be acknowledged that international bodies view the purpose of this partnership in terms of information, consultation, participation, and even outsourcing, rather than in terms of joint decision-making, joint management or joint responsibility. 33. One last dimension remains to be considered: the relations between non-State actors which are governed by private international law and those regulated by special systems such as those used in the world of sport. In this connection, the international crisis has only served to highlight the importance of ensuring that these private entities are governed by international standards, given that States are bound to respect, protect and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms without any discrimination or bias. There is an ongoing risk that international human rights law could be ―privatized‖ through the substitution of voluntary standards for the international erga omnes obligations by which the international community is bound. (b) Forms of international cooperation 34. The aims of international cooperation are as varied as the subjects involved; hence the need for international organizations. International cooperation cuts across all aspects of international relations; it is not limited to the areas of ―economic and social cooperation‖ enumerated in the Charter. For a long time, the notion of cooperation was associated with economic development and technical assistance, as may be seen from the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. However, judicial cooperation has since become an important element of a broader concept linking the establishment of the rule of law, human rights and development in the context of both training and legislation. At another level, cooperation goes hand in hand with the codification and progressive development of international law. The fight against terrorism has highlighted the importance of cooperation in judicial and police matters. Meanwhile efforts to promote cultural cooperation, a matter that falls within the purview of the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), have led to progress in human rights education and training and in the fight against racism and all forms of discrimination. The recent calls for cooperation among civilizations, cultures and religions form part of this logic. Lastly, these various elements of international cooperation would be meaningless without political cooperation, which is at the very heart of bilateral or multilateral diplomacy. 35. The idea of international cooperation cannot be reduced to a mere juxtaposition of national interests or the logic of power relations. It is based on at least three basic assumptions. First, it assumes the existence of a genuine partnership and a shared undertaking. The partnership must be based on recognition of the equal sovereignty of States, and yet, as we know, sovereignty, by its very nature, entails making a commitment and accepting the limits of sovereignty. It is difficult to imagine cooperation without reciprocity, since otherwise, what we are discussing is a form of assistance, not an association of equals. Each State must be a full partner in a cooperative effort and must 11