Business, human rights and conflict-affected regions: towards heightened action

While the engagement of the business community is crucial to achieve the SDGs in fragile scenarios, the interlinkages between business activity, human rights abuses and conflict have so far been inadequately addressed in policies and strategies across the UN-system, particularly in conflict settings.

As part of its mandate to promote the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights launched a project in 2018 to clarify the practical steps that States and business enterprises should take to implement the Guiding Principles in conflict and post-conflict contexts to prevent and address business-related human rights abuse. While it is well documented that the worst forms of business-related human rights abuse tend to happen in conflict-affected contexts, a better understanding of the practical measures that all actors should take is still needed.

--Moderator--
Katy Thompson
Head, Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Team
UNDP

--Speakers--
Asako Okai
Director, Crisis Bureau
UNDP

Anita Ramasastry
UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights

--Discussants--
Abiodun Baiyewu
Executive Director
Global Rights

Ron Popper
CEO
Global Business Initiative on Human Rights

Marzuki Darusman
Chair
Foundation for International Human Rights Reporting Standards

Marc Banzet
Director, Natural Resources and Governance Division
Global Affairs Canada