A/HRC/RES/40/4 Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; 17. Welcomes national initiatives to adopt anti-money-laundering legislation as an important step in the fight against corruption and the willingness demonstrated by some States to cooperate in facilitating the return of the proceeds of crime, and calls for more robust regulations in this regard, including through the implementation of policies aimed at reducing the flow of the proceeds of crime, and ensuring their return, and the provision of technical assistance to developing countries; 18. Encourages all States to share best practices in the freezing and recovery of funds of illicit origin; 19. Calls for further international cooperation through, inter alia, the United Nations system, in support of national, subregional and regional efforts to prevent and combat corrupt practices and the transfer of assets of illicit origin, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and in this regard encourages close cooperation at the national and international levels between anticorruption agencies, law enforcement agencies and financial intelligence units; 20. Calls upon all States requested to repatriate funds of illicit origin to uphold fully their commitment to make the fight against corruption a priority at all levels and to curb the illicit transfer of funds, in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and to make every effort to achieve the repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the requesting States in order to diminish the negative impact of non-repatriation, including on the enjoyment of human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights in the countries of origin by, inter alia, lowering the barriers imposed on requiring jurisdictions at the tracing stage and enhancing cooperation in this regard between competent agencies, in particular taking into account the risks of dissipation of those funds and, where appropriate, by delinking confiscation measures from a requirement of conviction in the country of origin; 21. Calls upon all States requesting the repatriation of funds of illicit origin to uphold fully their commitment to make the fight against corruption a priority at all levels and to curb the illicit transfer of funds, and to apply the principles of accountability, transparency and participation in the decision-making process regarding the allocation of repatriated funds to the realization of economic, social and cultural rights in order to improve prevention and detection procedures, correct identified weaknesses or mismanagement, prevent impunity, provide effective remedies directed at creating conditions for avoiding new human rights violations and improve the overall administration of justice; 22. Reaffirms that it is the obligation of the State to investigate and then prosecute corruption on the basis of evidence, and calls upon all States to strengthen criminal and/or civil proceedings directed at freezing or restraining funds of illicit origin, and in this context encourages requested States to provide information on legal frameworks and procedures to the requesting State and to remove barriers to asset recovery, including by simplifying their legal procedures and responding to requests for mutual legal assistance; 23. Calls upon requesting and requested States with practical experience in asset recovery to develop, as appropriate, in cooperation with interested States and providers of technical assistance, non-binding practical guidelines, such as a step-by-step guide for efficient asset recovery, with a view to enhancing effective approaches to asset recovery based on best practices, practical experience and the lessons learned from past cases, while being mindful to seek to add value by building upon existing work in this area through innovative and efficient means; 24. Encourages States parties to consider, where appropriate, and in accordance with national law, the opportunity of referring to the draft Lausanne guidelines for efficient recovery of stolen assets in their practice, and any other relevant instruments; 25. Stresses the need for transparency in financial institutions and effective due diligence measures to be applied by financial intermediaries, and calls upon States to seek appropriate means in accordance with their international obligations to ensure the 5