Business and Human Rights (BHR) Africa Project

The Business and Human Rights (BHR) Africa Project is designed to build strategic and impactful BHR engagement, foster the implementation of BHR standards and strengthen accountability for adverse business-related human rights impacts in the African region.

Conducted in coordination with UN Human Rights’ field presences in Sub-Saharan Africa, the project has the following strategic priorities:

• Strengthen the local expertise and capacity on BHR and build stronger awareness on upholding human rights in the context of business activities.
• Enhance uptake of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and advance policy and regulatory developments regarding BHR at the national and regional levels.
• Develop broader networks of BHR stakeholders and contribute to constructive debate and action.
• Expand UN outreach, advocacy and engagement on BHR.

The BHR Africa Project started in January 2022 with activities carried out by the East Africa Regional Office and UN Human Rights field presences in Liberia, Mozambique and Uganda.

The East Africa Regional Office is supporting the development and implementation of National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights (NAPs) across the region, including through the organisation of sub-regional dialogues on NAPs.

In Liberia, UN Human Rights is providing support to the development of a roadmap towards a NAP through capacity-building of relevant stakeholders on the UNGPs and awareness-raising activities.

In Mozambique, UN Human Rights is conducting capacity-building activities on the UNGPs, with a particular focus on access to remedy and with the aim to support the development of a NAP.

In Uganda, where a NAP was published in July 2021, UN Human Rights is conducting a range of activities to support its dissemination and implementation.

The pilot phase of the project is financed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.

UN Human Rights is aiming to scale up the project so as to enhance local capacities and ensure comprehensive implementation of the UNGPs across the region.

For any questions on BHR Africa, please contact ohchr-bhr@un.org.