Dialogue on enhancing the protection of human rights defenders in the context of business activities

The protection of human rights defenders at risk from business activities remains an urgent and unresolved global challenge. Defenders are essential stakeholders in human rights due diligence processes and climate action, yet they continue to face attacks. Since 2015, the Business and Human Rights Centre has documented more than 7,000 reported attacks on defenders raising concerns about business-related human rights risks and harms, with nearly 800 last year.

In parallel, a recent report assessing ten years of progress highlights the emergence of global normative frameworks guiding business respect for defenders’ right to defend human rights, including legislation, public commitments, zero-tolerance policies on human rights defenders, and related guidance. Despite considerable availability of resource and recommendation materials, a significant gap persists: corporate action remains uneven, and effective implementation of policies is lacking, undermining protection of defenders, leaving them at risk despite existing tools and commitments.

Without urgent action, and amidst interlocking crises, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and conflict, defenders’ essential contributions and solutions to these challenges may be lost and they will continue to experience violence and harm in their vital work to safeguard human rights and the environment.

In the context of the 15th anniversary of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the 5th anniversary of the Working Group’s guidance on ensuring respect for human rights defenders, this event will explore the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in ensuring effective protection, accountability, and meaningful engagement with defenders. It will also highlight intersectional risks faced by women, gender-diverse, and Indigenous defenders, and examine tailored responses to address these challenges.

The session will be conducted in a dialogue format, encouraging active participation and exchange between moderator, speakers and audience. After a panel dialogue with speakers and a moderator, the audience will be invited to intervene from the floor. To allow wide and diverse participation, interventions from the floor should be limited to 90 seconds (following the guidelines of the Human Rights Council). As this is a session focusing on the lived experiences of human rights defenders, their voices and interventions will be prioritised.

• Moderator: Pichamon Yeophantong, Member of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
• Opening: One minute of silence to honour human rights defenders who have lost their lives or suffered harm in the course of their work.
• Trigger remarks:
  • Three human rights defenders, including the recipient of the Human Rights Defender Prize
  • One representative from the business sector

Information on the 2026 UN Forum on Business and Human Rights is available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/events/sessions/2026/15th-united-nations-forum-business-and-human-rights

 This session co-organised by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights with the International Service for Human Rights, Zero Tolerance Initiative, Business and Human Rights Centre, Front Line Defenders and The B Team.

Interpretation will be provided in English, French and Spanish.