A RECORDING OF THIS SESSION IS AVAILABLE HERE.Session organized by the Working Group on Business and Human rights in collaboration with UNDP
Brief description of the session:This session will discuss the role of various actors under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in preventing business-related human rights abuses in Asia and the Pacific. The UNGPs envisage – expressly or impliedly – a role for a range of actors in promoting business respect for human rights: from States to international organisations, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), business enterprises, industry associations, trade unions, civil society organisations (CSOs), human rights defenders, lawyers, academics, and the media. Participants representing different actors will share, in a roundtable format, diverse actions they have taken (or could take) across all three pillars of the UNGPs to build an effective prevention net in Asia and the Pacific.
Key objectives of the session:This session aims to:
- Identify the full range of actors and their respective roles in preventing business-related human rights abuses;
- Discuss concrete actions that various actors have taken, or should take, across all three pillars of the UNGPs to promote business respect for human rights; and
- Explore how these actors can collaborate to complement and reinforce their specific roles and corresponding actions.
Key questions:- How can various actors operating within the business and human rights field contribute to preventing business-related human rights abuses?
- What preventive strategies have worked in the past, and how can be built on those? Conversely, what has not worked in the past, and how can this be addressed in the future?
- What opportunities for collaboration have been (or could be) tried between different actors to promote collective action aimed at embedding business respect for human rights, including to seek effective remedy?
- Which actors, potentially able to prevent business-related human rights abuses, are missing or less active in the field? What could be done to engage them?
Background to the discussion:As we are approaching the tenth anniversary of the UNGPs, we can observe increasing uptake of the business and human rights agenda in Asia and the Pacific. Thailand and Japan have adopted stand-alone national action plans on business and human rights, while India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Pakistan, and Mongolia are in the process of developing a national action plan. Moreover, South Korea has inserted a chapter on business and human rights in its human rights action plan and various other States in the region have introduced (or are developing) guidance, policies and legislation to promote business respect for human rights. One can also observe increasing awareness among businesses of their responsibility to respect human rights. However, for both States and businesses, critical implementation gaps remain. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed pre-existing vulnerabilities and inequalities, which serves as an urgent reminder that structural and systemic challenges are yet to be addressed.
In addition to States and businesses, the UNGPs envisage various other societal actors to play a critical role in promoting business respect for human rights. For example, CSOs, human rights defenders, and journalists can fulfil the vital role of monitoring and scrutinising the conduct of both States and businesses. Trade unions can strengthen the power of workers through collective arrangements, while lawyers could help affected individuals in seeking effective remedies. Further, academics can raise awareness among students and professionals about business and human rights issues and standards. The vital preventive role played by NHRIs is also well-established, e.g. they can build capacity, conduct investigations, facilitate dialogue, provide remedies, and make recommendations for law and policy reform. Finally, multilateral institutions at the regional or international level could facilitate coordination, development of cohesive policies and sharing of good practices.
