Opening Remarks for the Regional Conference on Business and Human Rights, with the theme of "United nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: A Pathway to Rebuild Sustainable and Resilient Business During COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond"

H.E. Ms. Nazhat Shameem Khan, President of the Human Rights Council

Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Bula Vinaka and Good Day.

It is my great pleasure to speak to you all today at the opening of the Regional Conference on Business and Human Rights, with the theme of United Nations Guiding Principles: A Pathway to Rebuild Sustainable and Resilient Business During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

This theme is particularly relevant as the world continues to confront the full range of human rights challenges the pandemic poses in the context of business while the world also begins to consider how to better advance human rights in the context of business in the post-pandemic period.

In this regard, allow me to thank the organisers of this important regional conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, with the support of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, and in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme and the Embassy of Switzerland in Indonesia.

Before I continue, I would also like to recognise the passing of Professor John Ruggie, the former Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Businesses Enterprises, on 16 September. His work in the field of business and human rights, as highlighted by the Council’s unanimous endorsement of the United Nations Guiding Principles in resolution 17/4 of June 2011 and as shown by this regional conference, continues to be the world’s authoritative framework on human rights in the context of business.

Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have the great honour to inform you that Council resolution 17/4 endorsing the United Nations Guiding Principles also took two key additional steps to address human rights in the context of business.

First, the resolution established a Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises. Importantly, the mandate of the Working Group is to, inter alia, promote the dissemination of the Guiding Principles, promote good practices and lessons learned on the Guiding Principles and support efforts to promote capacity-building and use of the Guiding Principles.

The Working Group has worked extensively since its establishment to fulfil this mandate. Indeed, the Working Group publishes thematic reports on topics ranging from the connection between business and human rights and anti-corruption efforts to the particular human rights challenges for business and human rights in conflict-affected regions.  

Of particular interest for this occasion, however, may be the Working Group’s report taking stock of the Guiding Principles at 10, which was presented to the Council at its 47th session in June of this year. The report importantly identifies where the Guiding Principles have “contributed to a groundbreaking common platform for action and where the pace of implementation by States, businesses and other relevant actors needs to urgently increase over the next decade”.

If I may, I would like to encourage you all to consult the contributions of the Working Group, and in particular their recent stocktaking report, which I am certain can enrich the dialogues at this regional conference.

Additionally, the resolution established the Forum on Business and Human Rights, under the guidance of the Working Group, to, inter alia, discuss trends and challenges in the implementation of the Guiding Principles and promote dialogue and cooperation on issues linked to business and human rights, including challenges faced in particular sectors, operational environments or in relation to specific rights groups.

This Forum is open to all stakeholders, including States, the wider United Nations system, intergovernmental and regional organisations, businesses, labour unions, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organisations.

Further, the Forum has met annually since 2012 and, this year, will be meeting from 29 November – 1 December and will be on the theme of “the next decade of business and human rights: increasing the pace and scale of action to implement the Guiding Principles”.

It is my great hope that the discussions at this regional conference will inform conversations at the Forum and create greater synergies between the regional and international levels to better advance human rights in the context of business.

Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to inform you all that, pursuant to resolution 44/15 adopted in July 2020, work on business and human rights will continue, as the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Working Group and decided that the Working Group will continue to guide the work of the Forum. This places business and human rights firmly on the Council’s agenda and ensures that the international community will continue to receive robust reporting and analysis on the topic.

With business and human rights firmly on the Council’s agenda in the coming years, let us all hope that the topic will receive greater attention at the international level, including at the Council’s Universal Periodic Review Mechanism where States can encourage one another to take stronger action to advance human rights in the context of business.

Before concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to once again commend the organisers of this regional conference.

One of the greatest challenges the international community faces is ensuring that the work undertaken at the international level to better promote and protect human rights percolates to the ground level. Regional efforts, like this conference, are essential to ensuring that the discussions we have on human rights in the context of business make it to the people and communities that need them.

With this, I would like to warmly wish you all a fruitful discussion.

Vinaka vakalevu and I thank you.