(Versão em português anexa)
(Versión en español adjunta)Interpretation available in English, French and Spanish
Session organized by the UN Working Group on business and human rights in collaboration with the EU funded project on Responsible Business Conduct in Latin America and the Carribbean
Version en espanol en adjunto / Versão portuguesa anexa Brief description of the session Accountability for business-related human rights abuses remains one of the greatest challenges for the Latin American and Caribbean region to advance the business and human rights agenda. As identified by the OHCHR Accountability and Remedy Project (ARP), most of barriers in accessing both judicial and non-judicial mechanisms are yet to be addressed . In addition, corporate initiatives to provide for remediation to victims when they have caused or contributed to abuses are still scarce . On a positive note, national and regional courts and tribunals have dealt with business and human rights cases, including referring to UNGPs. In addition national human rights institutions and national contact points of RBC of the region are increasingly handling with cases of human rights impacts involving companies. Nevertheless , right holders, including human rights defenders, indigenous leaders and workers, are yet to be redressed and put at the core of the remedial processes in the region. Fighting Impunity, halting strategies to silence human rights defenders work and ensuring integral reparations should be the focus for all governments and businesses of the region to discharge their obligation and responsibility to protect and respect human rights and instill trust among stakeholders.
The session will discuss some of the main obstacles to access effective remedy in the region in order to help identify emerging practice and innovative opportunities to make justice and reparation a reality for the region . This session is organized in the context of the EU funded Responsible Business Conduct Project for Latin America and the Caribbean that the UN Working Group, OHCHR, ILO and OECD implement in the region.
Key objectives of the session :
The session aims to:
- Highlight some obstacles to effectively access remedy, including for human rights defenders, and exchange emerging practice to address them, including through State and business actions.
- Identify innovative strategies to facilitate victims' access to reparations, including remedy processes led by businesses.
- Exchange initiatives to improve the effectivity of the remedial mechanisms
Key discussion questions:
- What are the main barriers faced by victims in seeking remedy for harm caused by companies?
- Even if victims are able to formally access grievance mechanisms, which are the most common limitations?
- What strategies can be used in LAC to stop the criminalization and persecution of human rights defenders?
- How can businesses support innovative strategies to provide for the remediation of victims , including instilling trust among affected stakeholders?
Additional background documents :
