The OHCHR is pleased to announce a formal request by the Human Rights Council to the High Commissioner to continue work on the Accountability and Remedy Project (ARP).  On 6 July, the Council adopted by consensus resolution A/HRC/38/13 entitled "Business and human rights: improving accountability and access to remedy."  The resolution welcomed the work of the High Commissioner on ARP generally; noted with appreciation the recently-released ARP II report focusing on improving accountability and access to remedy through State-based non-judicial mechanisms; invited States to consider using the ARP I and II reports when seeking to enhance the ability and effectiveness of state-based judicial and non-judicial mechanisms; and encouraged relevant UN programmes and agencies, national human rights institutions, and civil society to take into consideration the ARP I and II reports.
 
The Council requested the High Commissioner to continue his work in this area, including with the dissemination of the findings of ARP I and II.  Furthermore, the High Commissioner was requested to proceed with work on ARP III, specifically to identify and analyse challenges, opportunities, best practices and lessons learned with regard to non-state-based grievance mechanisms that are relevant for the respect by business enterprises for human rights, and to submit a report thereon to be considered by the Human Rights Council at its 44th session.  Information on how the OHCHR plans to proceed with this new mandate is forthcoming and will be posted on the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre's dedicated page on ARP in due course.
 
Resolution A/HRC/38/13 also welcomed the efforts of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights with respect to enhancing access to effective remedies, and requested the Working Group, mindful of the guidance provided by ARP, to analyze further the role of national human rights institutions in facilitating access to remedy for business-related human rights abuses.