A/HRC/26/20 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 1 April 2014 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-sixth 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 Report of the Secretary-General on the challenges, strategies and developments with regard to the implementation of the resolution 21/5 by the United Nations system, including programmes, funds and agencies Report of the Secretary-General Summary In its resolution 21/5, the Human Rights Council welcomed the report of the Secretary-General on the contribution of the United Nations system as a whole to the advancement of the human rights agenda and the dissemination and implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (A/HRC/21/21 and Corr.1). The Council requested the Secretary-General to report to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-sixth session on the challenges, strategies and developments with regard to the implementation of the resolution by the United Nations system, including programmes, funds and agencies, and to make concrete recommendations for action. The present report identifies developments, progress and challenges in advancing the business and human rights agenda within the United Nations system. The report finds that further action is needed to embed the Guiding Principles in the strategic coordination mechanisms of the United Nations system, which requires top-level buy-in and advocacy. The report also presents the conclusions from a study carried out by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the feasibility of a global fund to enhance the capacity of stakeholders to implement the Guiding Principles. One finding of the study is that there is strong support for such a fund among a broad range of stakeholders; however, perspectives differ on the most desirable mandate, governance model and sources of funding. GE.14-12797 *1412797*