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About

All States have a duty to protect people from human rights abuses committed by companies. Businesses, too, have a responsibility to respect human rights—even if States don’t fulfil their obligations. When abuses do occur, victims must have access to effective remedy through judicial and non-judicial grievance mechanisms.

Our work

UN Human Rights is mandated to lead the business and human rights agenda within the UN system, and to develop guidance and training relating to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in collaboration with the Working Group on Business and Human Rights. This means we provide advice, tools and guidance; support capacity building on business and human rights to all stakeholders at the national level; and provide technical support to human rights mechanisms. We work with rights holders and duty bearers via an increasing number of our country presences to improve the human rights situation related to human rights and business.

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Who else is involved

Business Forum

The UN Forum is the world's largest annual gathering on business and human rights with more than 2,000 participants from government, business, community groups and civil society, law firms, investor organizations, UN bodies, national human rights institutions, trade unions, academia and the media.

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Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises

The Working Group promotes and supports the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It also supports capacity-building and promotes the use of the Guiding Principles, and provides advice and recommendations on the development of domestic legislation and policies.

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Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises

This mandate was established by the UN Commission on Human Rights in 2005. Its main role was to identify and clarify standards of corporate responsibility and accountability for transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights. The mandate ended in 2011.

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