Virtual Workshop on NHRIs’ actions for the next decade of implementation of the UNGPs
18 March 2021
Overview
June 2021 marks 10 years since the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Established in 2011, and after a decade of implementation, the UNGPs constitute a globally recognized authoritative framework that assigns responsibility to states and businesses to prevent and address business-related human rights abuses. The principles embed the “protect, respect and remedy” pillars, and carries a vision of “tangible results for affected individuals and communities, and thereby also contributing to a socially sustainable globalization.”
As part of its mandate to promote the UNGPs, embedded in its 2020-21 action plan, the GANHRI Working Group on Business and Human Rights is undertaking a new activity to further drive and scale up the implementation of the UNGPs more widely over the next 10 years. The project will take stock of achievements to date, review existing gaps, and develop an ambitious vision and roadmap for the decade ahead, with the aim of capitalizing on the transformational potential of the UNGPs. The Working Group activity’s is a direct contribution to the UNWGs UNGPs10+ project, along with a report to be submitted to the Human Rights Council in June 2021.
The webinar was carried out by the GANHRI Working Group on Business and Human Rights under the leading of CNDH Morocco and supported by the UNDP.
Outcome
100 participants including NHRIs around the globe and UN partners – joined the discussions.
Participants discussed in particular the roles and experiences of NHRIs in applying their Paris Principles mandates in relation to the implementation of National Action Plans (NAPs); driving of human rights due diligence processes; strengthening access to effective remedy for victims of business-related human rights violations and ways to support transnational cooperation along the supply chains.
The event was also an opportunity to identify NHRI actions – both individually and collectively through GANHRI – to scale up the implementation of the UNGPs, gather inputs and draw a roadmap for the effective implementation of UNGPs over the next 10 years.
The event also addressed challenges and gaps in the implementation of the Guiding Principles and NHRIs’ experiences and practices in addressing these.