Economic globalization and human rights
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Corporate responsibility breakthrough at the UN Human Rights Commission
On 20 April, for the first time ever, governments meeting at the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva confirmed the importance and priority that the Commission accord to companies' responsibilities in relation to human rights and requested the Office of the High Commissioner for human rights to focus on elaborating those responsibilities.
Following intense discussions at the UN over the last few weeks, this formal request was made by the UK government on behalf of Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Norway, South Africa and Sweden.
The decision 2004/116, adopted by consensus, specifically asks the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to compile a report setting out the scope and legal status of all existing initiatives and standards on business responsibilities with regard to human rights, including the UN Norms for Business.
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Following this decision, the OHCHR initiated a consultation process whereby different stakeholders were requested to provide input to the OHCHR report on:
a) Existing initiatives and standards relating to the responsibility of transnational corporations and related business enterprises with regard to human rights
b) The scope and legal status of these initiatives
c) Any outstanding issues.
All submissions must reach the OHCHR by 30 September 2004. Go to the OHCHR website for more information on the consultation process.
Amnesty International said:
"We are very pleased that the Commission has acknowledged the need to strengthen standards on business responsibilities in relation to human rights and will consider elements of the Norms."
"This is the first time the UN Commission has companies' responsibilities on its agenda and we believe the forthcoming report will be a positive step towards ensuring better protection for workers and communities and to helping companies ensure their activities, including security arrangements and the activities of their sub-contractors, do not lead to human rights abuses."
Amnesty International expects that the OHCHR will draw on the Norms and their related Commentary as a principal source in the identification and assessment of existing standards in this area.
In the Decision, governments at the Commission requested the OHCHR to consult all relevant stakeholders in compiling the report. Amnesty International intends to contribute to the preparation of the report and urges that the process of consultation be open, participatory and transparent.
Amnesty International notes that the Sub-Commission Norms are already being 'road-tested' by a group of leading companies and looks forward to the OHCHR benefiting from the experience of these companies in the compilation of the report.
Read the Norms The UN Human Rights Norms for Business: Towards Legal Accountability (PDF)
Further Information
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