Geneva, 9 July 2020 -The Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other business enterprises presented their report at the 44th session of the Human Rights Council on connecting the business and human rights and anti-corruption agendas.
In October 2019, GANHRI co-hosted with the UN Working Group and OHCHR a two-day global consultation on the role of national human rights institutions in facilitating access to remedy for business-related human rights abuses. The consultation was joined by more than 35 representatives from national human rights institutions and partners from civil society, business and the United Nations, who gathered to discuss national human rights institutions’ experiences, challenges, lessons learned, and innovative practices in facilitating access to remedy.
The statement shared the background and findings of the consultation and called on States to:
- give national human rights institutions an explicit mandate, broad jurisdiction and powers to pursue business and human rights issues, including a role in facilitating access to remedy for business-related human rights abuses;
- create an enabling environment where national human rights institutions can facilitate dialogue among duty-bearers, rights-holders, business enterprises, human rights defenders and civil society, and recommend access to justice, effective remedies and reparations for business-related human rights abuses;
- involve national human rights institutions in developing, reviewing and implementing national action plans on business and human rights, particularly in relation to access to remedy under Pillar III of the United Nations Guiding Principles.
In response to the report of the Working Group, GANRHI Chairperson, Carlos Alfonso Negret Mosquera, today in a video-statement at the Human Rights Council said that “national human rights institutions can facilitate access to remedy both directly by handling complaints concerning business-related human rights abuses. Indirectly, they can facilitate access to remedy by raising awareness, conducting public inquiries, building capacity, assisting affected rights holders, and recommending legal reforms.”
GANHRI is delighted at the strengthened partnership with the United Nations Working Group, and looks forward to engaging in preparations for the 9th Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights and future activities in the framework of the 10th anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
For further information: info@ganhri.org