Human Rights

Policy Brief 56, October 2018

Setting the pillars to enforce corporate human rights obligations stemming from international law

By Daniel Uribe

The release of the Zero Draft of the Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the Activities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises by the Chairperson of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Business and Human Rights (OEIGWG), is likely to revive discussions on the recognition of corporate entities as subjects of international law. The present brief examines corporate entities’ human rights obligations in the context of the Zero Draft, taking into account the views and comments presented during the first three sessions of the OEIGWG and the need to advance the discussion on those entities’ obligations under international law.

(more…)

Policy Brief 55, October 2018

Advancing international cooperation in the service of victims of human rights violations in the context of business activities

By Kinda Mohamadieh

A zero draft of a legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises, is the subject of discussions in an inter-governmental open ended working group under the auspices of the Human Rights Council (15-19 October 2018). The draft aims at harnessing international cooperation among home and host states of business enterprises in order to address barriers  to get remedies to victims of human rights violations  in the context of business activities of transnational character. This brief discusses the approach to States’ role and obligations as proposed under the zero draft.

(more…)

SouthViews No. 171, 5 October 2018

A Human Rights Based Approach to International Financial Regulatory Standards

By Daniel D. Bradlow

Globalization and information and communication technologies pushed national financial regulators to establish international standard setting bodies (SSBs) which promote non-binding international financial regulatory standards. However, finance inevitably has social and human rights impacts and the SSBs and their members are not meeting their responsibility to account for these impacts in their international standards. This failure means that financial regulators and institutions may underestimate the risks associated with their operations leading to misallocations of credit, less safe financial institutions and less efficient and transparent financial markets. To avoid this problem, SSBs should adopt a human rights approach to standard setting. The benefits of doing so will exceed the costs. (more…)

SC WTO Public Forum Event, 2 October 2018

Title:                             Intellectual Property and Health: The Use of TRIPS Flexibilities to Achieve                                                    SDGs

Date and Time:            2 October 2018, 11:30-13:00

Venue:                          Room S1, The World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva

Organizer:                   The South Centre

(more…)

Analytical Note, September 2018

Towards the Adoption of a UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working In Rural Areas

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas has been constructed by an Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group over six years of open and transparent negotiations. The text has significant support from members of the Human Rights Council. Accordingly, member States of the Human Rights Council should adopt the  Declaration through an upcoming Resolution at the 39th Human Rights Council Session (10-28 September 2018).

(more…)

IP Negotiations Monitor 24, April 2018

The IP Negotiations Monitor summarizes the latest developments in multilateral and regional fora where intellectual property negotiations are taking place, and informs on upcoming meetings and events.

(Covering period: January – March 2018)

(more…)

IP Negotiations Monitor 23, January 2018

The IP Negotiations Monitor summarizes the latest developments in multilateral and regional fora where intellectual property negotiations are taking place, and informs on upcoming meetings and events.

(Covering period: July – December 2017)

(more…)

SC Side Event to the UNGA 72, 18 September 2017

Title:             The Elaboration of a Legally Binding Instrument on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises

Date:              Monday, 18 September 2017

Venue:          UN Headquarters, New York

Organizers:  The South Centre, Permanent Missions of Ecuador and South Africa to the United Nations in New York

(more…)