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Human rights defenders promote and peacefully defend human rights in connection with territories, natural resources, livelihoods and climate in order for their communities to live sustainably.
Many human rights defenders face threats and attacks defending their community from adverse impact of business operations, often in the context of large development projects that affect access to land and livelihoods.
ISHR believes that businesses and human rights defenders operate in and benefit from a “shared civic space” defined by common, fundamental essential freedoms. These are essential to the realisation of all human rights, but also critical to enable stable, profitable and sustainable business environments in which companies thrive and economies, communities and people prosper.
Today, the human rights and business norms require global companies to behave responsibly and assess the human rights risks associated with their operations. Companies can no longer hide behind complex international supply chains or a network of subsidiaries owned by authoritarian leaders. Businesses have a responsibility to understand the complexities of the countries where they invest, to examine the suppliers they buy from, and to take into consideration the potential for impact associated with operating in countries where governance is weak and the rule of law is fragile.
ISHR works with human rights defenders who advocate for business and human rights issues. Particularly:
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Olnar Ortiz Bolívar and Alexandra Lezama, human rights defenders from Venezuela, are attending the Human Rights Council 52nd session, where the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela will present an oral update on the human rights situation in the country.
Following an intense dialogue with the Chinese government and consideration of a broad range of civil society contributions last month, UN experts from the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) released a laundry list of worries about protection of rights in the country.
Formula 1 should stop sportswashing human rights abuses in host countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and instead use its considerable leverage to push for the release of arbitrarily detained human rights defenders and an end to the repression of civic freedoms, says ISHR and a coalition of over 20 NGOs.
In order to echo the concerns and experiences of defenders in these spaces, ISHR and partners organised and co-hosted a range of events in parallel to the 11th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights (28-30 November).
After three years of online sessions, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission) resumed in person sessions. The 73rd session was held from 20 October to 9 November 2022 in Banjul, The Gambia. This session was marked by the commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Commission.
As the world celebrates the international anti-corruption day and the 24th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders on this day, 9 December 2022, ISHR and 81 other organisations and individuals co-signed this public statement.
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On 31 August 2022, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released its much-awaited report on serious human rights violations in the Uyghur region (Xinjiang). ISHR prepared a multilingual explainer to break down the report's findings.
We are excited to share the launch of two new briefings that provide guidance for institutional investors and companies on how to respect the rights of human rights defenders.
As we embark on a new decade, the world faces tremendous challenges, from climate change to COVID-19. There are plenty of reasons for anxiety and concern. But we see even more reasons for ambition and hope. We take hope from courageous human rights defenders across the world who continue their vital work to make human rights a reality for all of us. We are proud to serve them, with the solidarity and support of people like you.
One of the most important and urgent opportunities for responsible business is to support basic human rights and those who defend them. How can companies take concrete actions to protect human rights defenders and the 'shared space' in which both operate? A groundbreaking new publication by the Business Network on Civic Freedoms and Human Rights Defenders is providing concrete advice to companies.
Portions of the guide 'Human rights defenders in National Action Plans (NAP) on Business and Human Rights' have been translated into German by the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR).
At a side event held this week on the margins of the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council, ISHR and ICAR launched their new practical guide on how States should consult human rights defenders in the development of National Action Plans and ensure that these plans include protections for defenders.
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