Other organisations Non-governmental organisations NGOs also have an important role in protecting and promoting the right to education. The involvement of NGOs in the realisation of the right to education is increasing, with NGOs undertaking several initiatives in this regard. In particular, the Collective Consultation of NGOs on Education for All486 helped facilitate the integration of NGOs and other organizations into the process leading to the World Education Forum and the Dakar Framework. In addition, the UNESCO/NGO Collective Consultation on Higher Education487 assists UNESCO in the orientation and implementation of its higher education programme. Further, NGO-initiated campaigns have emerged, such as the Global Campaign for Education.488 Transnational corporations The UN Human Rights Norms for Businesses489 recognise that even though States have primary responsibility regarding human rights obligations, transnational corporations and other business enterprises, as organs of society, are also responsible for promoting, securing, respecting and protecting human rights490 within their respective spheres of activity and influence.491 In particular, transnational corporations and other business enterprises must ensure equality of opportunity and treatment for the purpose of eliminating discrimination based on the prohibited grounds or other status unrelated to the inherent requirements to 486 This body is an UNESCO/NGO partnership within UNESCO’s Education Sector. It was created to facilitate reflection, continuous dialogue and joint action between NGOs and UNESCO in the area of Education for All. 487 This body is also a UNESCO/NGO partnership. It consists of 60 organisations representing all areas of the higher education community: regional university associations, student organisations, women’s groups, teachers’ associations, as well as organisations specialised in counselling, research, educational assessment and exchange. 488 See http://www.campaignforeducation.org/ (last accessed 14 December 2006). 489 Commission on Human Rights Norms on the responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights E/CN.4/Sub.2/2003/12/Rev.2 26 August 2003 (UN Human Rights Norms for Businesses). 490 The phrase “human rights” includes economic, social and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights, rights set forth in other human rights treaty and other rights recognised by international law: see para 23. 491 UN Human Rights Norms for Businesses at para 1 and Preamble. The term “transnational corporation” refers to an economic entity operating in more than one country or a cluster of economic entities operating in two or more countries: see para 20. The phrase “other business enterprise” includes any business entity, regardless of the international or domestic nature of its activities, including a transnational corporation, contractor, subcontractor, supplier, licensee or distributor. The Norms are presumed to apply, as a matter of practice, if the business enterprise has any relation with a transnational corporation or the impact of its activities is not entirely local: see para 21. 150