UN-BHR

UNICEF Publishes Global Guide on Child Rights and Mining

June 29, 2017

As part of its efforts to elaborate on the Children's Rights and Business Principles, a global guide for companies on how to implement international human rights guarantees for children in their operations, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has published a guide specifically focusing on how mining companies must perform "impact assessments" to address their children's rights impacts.
UK Committee Seeks Broad Liability for BHR Abuses

June 21, 2017

Barrister Katherine Tyler describes a recent report from the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights that calls for a new British law creating a criminal offense for the failure by corporations to prevent violations of the business and human rights (BHR) agenda, including those committed by their subsidiaries and in other countries.
UN Group Pushes Canada on BHR Progress

June 07, 2017

Following an official visit to Canada, the UN Working Group on business and human rights (BHR) issues called for the country's government to do more to implement the UN Guiding Principles on BHR, including by performing BHR "impact assessments" and protecting indigenous peoples from the "exploitation of natural resources."
Scotland Promises BHR "Due Diligence" on Trade Deals

June 06, 2017

Amnesty International has welcomed the Scottish government's recent pledge to perform "human rights due diligence" to determine the rights impacts of all future trade agreements with foreign countries and corporations, in line with the demands of the global business and human rights (BHR) agenda.
EU Agency Calls for Enhanced Remedies for BHR Violations

June 02, 2017

At the request of the Council of the EU, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has issued an opinion calling for increased action by the bloc's institutions and its member states on enhancing access to judicial and non-judicial remedies for alleged victims of businesses' violations of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR).
NGO Chief: Universities Must Pursue BHR Agenda in China

May 30, 2017

Robert Precht of the nongovernmental organization Justice Labs has authored an article calling on American universities operating in China to follow the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (BHR) by performing due diligence and reporting on potential human rights violations to which they may contribute by working with the Chinese government.
UK Committee Seeks Prosecution, Liability for BHR Violations

May 25, 2017

A recent report from the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights calls for legislation providing for the criminal prosecution of corporations that violate the business and human rights (BHR) agenda in other countries and permitting foreign victims of alleged BHR violations to sue UK companies in British courts.
NGO Coalition Praises French "Corporate Vigilance" Law

April 05, 2017

A press release from the European Coalition for Corporate Justice applauds the decision of the French Constitutional Council to uphold most of the provisions of a new law requiring corporations to perform due diligence regarding their human rights impacts, while eliminating some civil penalties, and calls for all other European countries and the EU to adopt similar legislation.
UN Group: BHR Rules Must Play Role in G20 Guidance

April 05, 2017

In a recent letter, the UN Working Group on business and human rights (BHR) issues calls on members of the G20 Employment Working Group to use the UN Guiding Principles on BHR as a framework through which to push countries toward the promotion of "sustainable supply chains" as part of the G20's social agenda.
Paper Examines "Collaborative" BHR Impact Assessments

April 05, 2017

The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, Danish Institute for Human Rights, and Sciences Po Law School Clinic outline how businesses and NGOs could pursue a "collaborative" approach to "human rights impact assessments" to consider how best to implement the global business and human rights (BHR) agenda in corporate projects.