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UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
25 June 2008
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25 June 2008
GNEVA-- On 18 June 2008, the United Nations Human Rights Council was unanimous in adopting resolution A/HRC/RES/8/7, which extends the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on business and human rights until June 2011.
The resolution emphasized that while the State’s duty to protect human rights is fundamental, transnational corporations and other business enterprises have a responsibility to respect human rights. This is the first definitive statement by the United Nations on the human rights responsibility of corporations.
The resolution welcomes the SRSG’s most recent report (A/HRC/8/5), in particular his identification of a conceptual and policy framework based on three principles: the state duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including business; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and the need for more effective access to remedy by victims of corporate-related abuse.
Recognizing the need to operationalize this framework, the resolution requests the SRSG to provide views and recommendations on how to fulfill the state duty to protect; elaborate further on the scope and content of the corporate responsibility to respect; and explore options and make recommendations for enhancing access to remedies for those whose rights are impacted by corporate activities.
In response to the resolution, the SRSG Professor John Ruggie has said: “It is gratifying to see the consensus amongst all stakeholders that the policy framework of ‘protect, respect, remedy’ presented in my report is the right foundation upon which to develop measures that will improve the impacts of business on human rights. Such widespread agreement is in stark contrast to the discord that characterized this issue when I began my role three years ago. I look forward to elaborating the framework through the activities that have served the mandate so well to date: inclusive consultations and the engagement of a wide range of actors whose expertise and influence can turn principles into practice – and ensure economic globalization is sustainable for all.”
The resolution was co-sponsored by 43 countries, led by Argentina, India, Nigeria, Norway, and the Russian Federation.
All materials related the mandate can be found at the SRSG’s website, which is hosted by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: http://www.business-humanrights.org/Gettingstarted/UNSpecialRepresentative Specifically, the SRSG’s 2008 report, accompanying material and related commentary is available at: http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/RuggieHRC2008
For more information please contact Lene Wendland at lwendland@ohchr.org, +41.22.928.9299
GNEVA-- On 18 June 2008, the United Nations Human Rights Council was unanimous in adopting resolution A/HRC/RES/8/7, which extends the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on business and human rights until June 2011.
The resolution emphasized that while the State’s duty to protect human rights is fundamental, transnational corporations and other business enterprises have a responsibility to respect human rights. This is the first definitive statement by the United Nations on the human rights responsibility of corporations.
The resolution welcomes the SRSG’s most recent report (A/HRC/8/5), in particular his identification of a conceptual and policy framework based on three principles: the state duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including business; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and the need for more effective access to remedy by victims of corporate-related abuse.
Recognizing the need to operationalize this framework, the resolution requests the SRSG to provide views and recommendations on how to fulfill the state duty to protect; elaborate further on the scope and content of the corporate responsibility to respect; and explore options and make recommendations for enhancing access to remedies for those whose rights are impacted by corporate activities.
In response to the resolution, the SRSG Professor John Ruggie has said: “It is gratifying to see the consensus amongst all stakeholders that the policy framework of ‘protect, respect, remedy’ presented in my report is the right foundation upon which to develop measures that will improve the impacts of business on human rights. Such widespread agreement is in stark contrast to the discord that characterized this issue when I began my role three years ago. I look forward to elaborating the framework through the activities that have served the mandate so well to date: inclusive consultations and the engagement of a wide range of actors whose expertise and influence can turn principles into practice – and ensure economic globalization is sustainable for all.”
The resolution was co-sponsored by 43 countries, led by Argentina, India, Nigeria, Norway, and the Russian Federation.
All materials related the mandate can be found at the SRSG’s website, which is hosted by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: http://www.business-humanrights.org/Gettingstarted/UNSpecialRepresentative Specifically, the SRSG’s 2008 report, accompanying material and related commentary is available at: http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/RuggieHRC2008
For more information please contact Lene Wendland at lwendland@ohchr.org, +41.22.928.9299