Media advisories Special Procedures

Working Group on business and human rights to visit Colombia

26 July 2024

GENEVA – The Working Group on Business and Human Rights will conduct its first official visit to Colombia from 29 July to 9 August.

The experts will assess efforts to identify, prevent, mitigate and address adverse impacts of business operations on human rights and the environment.

The Working Group delegation will be comprised of Fernanda Hopenhaym and Pichamon Yeophantong. They will examine the efforts of the Government of Colombia and businesses to implement their respective human rights obligations and responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The experts will meet with various ministries of the national government, local authorities, representatives from the judicial and legislative branches , civil society actors, human rights defenders, representatives from rural, indigenous and afro-descent communities, from academia, unions, and from businesses and industrial associations as well. They will travel to Bogota, and other departments, including Putumayo, La Guajira, El Cesar and Medellin during their visit.

The experts will hold a press conference on Friday 9 August at 11:00 (local time) at OHCHR Colombia. Access will be strictly limited to journalists and interpretation from/to Spanish and English will be available.

The Working Group will present a report to the Human Rights Council in June 2025.

The Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises was established by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2011. Its current members are Ms. Fernanda Hopenhaym (Chairperson), Ms. Pichamon Yeophantong, Mr. Robert McCorquodale, Mr. Damilola Olawuyi, and Ms. Elżbieta Karska.

The Working Group is part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent human rights monitoring mechanisms. The Working Group reports to the Human Rights Council and to the UN General Assembly. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. The experts are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, unanimously endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011 (resolution 17/4), provide the authoritative global standard for action to safeguard human rights in a business context, clarifying what is expected by governments and companies to prevent and address impacts on human rights arising from business activity.

UN Human Rights, country page - Colombia

For additional information and media requests please contact the Working Group Secretariat:

In Colombia (during the dates of the visit): tel. +41 76 368 0762; email: Krizel Patolot Malabanan (krizel.malabanan@un.org) and Mariana Ahualli (mariana.ahualli@un.org).

In Geneva: hrc-wg-business@un.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts please contact Dharisha Indraguptha (dharisha.indraguptha@un.org) or John Newland (john.newland@un.org)

Follow news related to the UN’s independent human rights experts on Twitter @UN_SPExperts

Working Group on business and human rights to visit Colombia

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