A/HRC/44/43 67. The Working Group reiterates that access to remedy should be available without discrimination. 122 States should take appropriate affirmative action to provide access to effective remedy to marginalized or vulnerable groups who may be deprived of rights due to corrupt activities. As such, the definition of “victim” in the above-mentioned Serious Fraud Office investigation concerning Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation and the Democratic Republic of the Congo is noteworthy.123 VII. Civil society participation and collective action 68. Civil society actors, including whistle-blowers, play a critical role in monitoring and reporting on corruption and business-related human rights abuses. They develop advocacy strategies highlighting the connection between corruption and human rights abuses and drive change. 69. Excellent examples of multi-stakeholder processes exist in both the anti-corruption area and the business and human rights area. National action plan development and monitoring processes should form a platform for effective multi-stakeholder dialogue. A multi-stakeholder approach is needed to embed change, and civil society should be involved in all efforts to implement the Guiding Principles. The commentary to principle 18 of the Guiding Principles clarifies that human rights due diligence should involve meaningful consultation with potentially affected groups and other relevant stakeholders, with consultation of human rights defenders and other civil society actors being encouraged when it is not possible to engage with stakeholders. The United Nations Convention against Corruption has clearer civil society engagement requirements. Article 13 (1) requires States parties to promote active civil society participation. This participation should be strengthened by such measures as enhancing the transparency of decision-making processes, ensuring that the public has effective access to information, undertaking public education programmes, and respecting, promoting and protecting the freedom to seek, receive, publish and disseminate information concerning corruption (art. 13 (1) (a)–(d)). Civil society’s engagement regarding the Convention provides lessons for the implementation of the Guiding Principles, not least that the active participation of civil society is key. 70. Multi-stakeholder engagement is key to addressing the connected issues of corruption and business-related human rights abuses. The Global Compact and its Local Networks promote collective action through country-level anti-corruption projects that facilitate dialogue between the private and public sectors and promote ethical business performance.124 Future collective action projects could include an integrated objective of preventing corruption and business-related human rights abuses. VIII. Future directions A. Joint activities within the United Nations 71. Coherent policy and joined-up approaches lead to better outcomes. Activities within the United Nations are no exception. OHCHR and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) cooperate through intergovernmental processes in Geneva and Vienna and in the field. Information is being exchanged and collaboration undertaken in specific areas, such as the collection of information, the organization of special events and participation in sessions of governing bodies, as well as in efforts to ensure that human rights and corruption issues are included in law enforcement training. The Human Rights Council, in its resolution 41/9, stressed the importance of policy coherence among the 122 123 124 20 A/72/162, para. 25. See https://inequality.org/research/investors-bribery-drcongo/. See www.unglobalcompact.org/take-action/action/anti-corruption-collective-action%20 and www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/publications/UN_Anti_Corruption_Brochure-2018.pdf.