Oct 9, 2012 | Agendas, Events
Under the title “Urging States and private companies to meet their obligations”, the workshop is taking place from 14 to 17 October 2012 in Sion, Switzerland.
The ICJ is sponsoring this international seminar that will provide all stakeholders with a space to discuss businesses’ impacts on the rights of the child and the international obligations of States in this context, identify practices, instruments and models as well as relevant partners to work for the promotion of the rights of the child in the context of business activities.
The programme of the workshop can be downloaded here:
Universal – Business and Child Rights – Workshop Programme – Event-2012
Universal – Business and Child Rights – Workshop Programme- Event – 2012 – Fr (English)
Jun 28, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
During the 20th regular session of the Human Rights Council, the UN Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations presented its first report to the Council. The ICJ commented.
Jun 21, 2012 | Events
On 21 June 2012 the ICJ held a parallel event on advancing business and human rights in the Human Rights Council. The summary note of this event can be found here.The panel was moderated by Professor Marco Sassoli and included Professor Andrew Clapham, Dr. Michael Addo, Ms Harriet Berg and Ms Rachel Groux-Nurnberg, as speakers.
The event was convened in order to provide delegations and civil society with a forum to explore ways for further enhancing international standards within the Human Rights Council on the issue of businesses’ human rights responsibilities.
Over 50 participants, including representatives from affected communities, civil society, international organisations and members of the diplomatic community in Geneva attended.
ICJ-HRC20-Summary Note of Parallel Event on Business and HR-event-2012
Jun 13, 2012 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ recalls the three main issues proposed by a number of civil society organizations as priorities for the Working Group. These priority issues are: (1) to explore the further development of international standards; (2) to improve access to remedies, and in particular access to justice for victims of human rights abuses; and (3) to address the impact of business on indigenous people and other vulnerable groups.
The ICJ urges the Human Rights Council and the Working Group to:
- pay special attention to the need for State regulation of corporations and other business enterprises;
- pay special attention to the need to ensure access to justice and effective remedies and reparations to victims;
- ensure its activities do not foreclose the elaboration of further international standards and;
- take fully into account the Maastricht Principles in their work.
Human Rights Council-20th session-non-legal submission-2012 (full text, PDF)
May 8, 2012 | Agendas
From 18 June to 6 July, the UN Human Rights Council will be holding its 20th regular session in Geneva. At a parallel event to the Council’s session, on Thursday 21 June 2012 from 13h-15h, the International Commission of Jurists will be holding a high-level discussion on advancing human rights and business in the work of the Human Rights Council. This event will provide delegations and civil society with a forum to explore ways for further enhancing international standards within the Human Rights Council on the issue of businesses’ human rights responsibilities. The aim is to generate vigorous discussion about the need and options for more international instruments clarifying/enhancing the human rights legal framework applicable to business corporations, in particular in the area of effective remedies.
The meeting will take the format of a moderated panel discussion, with one hour of interventions by expert panellists, and one hour of interactive debate with all participants. Expert panellists will include Professor Marco Sassoli from the University of Geneva, Professor Andrew Clapham from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, Mr Michael Addo from the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, Ms Harriet Berg from the Permanent Mission of Norway to UNOG, and Ms Rachel Groux-Nurnberg from Statkraft AS in Norway. Attendance is open to all delegations and members of civil society with access to the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Discussion human rights business-agenda-2012 (full text in English, PDF)
