Implementing the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals,
Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms through providing a safe and
enabling environment for human rights defenders and ensuring their protection
A/RES/74/146
rights, including as they relate to environmental, land and indigenous issues and
business activity, as well as development, including through corporate accountability;
23. Urges non-State actors, including transnational corporations and other
business enterprises, to assume their responsibility to respect the human rights and
fundamental freedoms of all persons, including human rights defenders, and
underlines the need to ensure human rights due diligence and the accountability of,
and the provision of adequate remedies by, transnational corporations and other
business enterprises, while also urging States to adopt relevant policies and laws in
this regard, including to hold all companies to account for involvement in threats or
attacks against human rights defenders;
24. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the twentieth
anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,9 in which he called for the
development of a more coherent and comprehensive approach to support the
Declaration by the United Nations, encourages the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, in consultation with the Special Rapporteur and other
special procedures of the Human Rights Council, to continue to compile and share
information on best practices and challenges in this regard, requests all concerned
United Nations system entities and organizations, within their mandates, to provide all
possible assistance and support to the Special Rapporteur for the effective fulfilment of
his mandate, including in the context of country visits and through suggestions on ways
and means of ensuring the protection of human rights defenders, and requests the
Special Rapporteur to continue to report annually on his activities to the General
Assembly and the Human Rights Council, in accordance with the mandate;
25.
Decides to remain seized of the matter.
50th plenary meeting
18 December 2019
19-22249
7/7