PRESS STATEMENT
13 August
2003
Palais de
Nations, Geneva
Nongovernmental organizations welcome the new U.N. norms on transnational business
Today, a United Nations human rights body in
Historically, international human rights law has focused on
state responsibilities. While
international law also places obligations on businesses, there is a need to
clarify the scope of those obligations in a changing world.
As global businesses have expanded their power in the world, an
increasing number of U.N. bodies and others have recognized that with greater
power should come greater responsibility. By
adopting today the new "U.N. Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational
Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with regard to Human Rights,"
the U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights fills
the gap by pulling together into one document the key international human rights
laws, standards, and best practices applying to all businesses.
These more detailed U.N. Norms are thus complementary to the U.N. Global
Compact, as acknowledged by the U.N. Global Compact Office.
The new U.N. Human Rights Norms, and the accompanying
interpretive Commentary, constitute an authoritative interpretation of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
The Universal Declaration applies not only to states and individuals, but
also to “organs of society”, including businesses.
In addition to the Universal Declaration and the principal human rights
treaties, the U.N. Human Rights Norms and Commentary rely upon and restate the
relevant principles from a wide range of labor, environmental, consumer
protection, and anti-corruption treaties and other international instruments.
As such they provide a useful checklist for companies on how to act
consistently with international norms.
No responsible corporation wants to be a party to abusive working conditions or other human rights violations. The U.N. Human Rights Norms and the explanatory Commentary will help businesses know and comply with the relevant human rights laws, and will provide a clear road map to action that transcends the conflicting provisions of the various private codes of conduct. Although some difficult issues of interpretation will remain, the U.N. Human Rights Norms and the interpretive Commentary now put the U.N. imprimatur on much more detailed guidelines as to proper action. They also endorse methods of independent monitoring and other implementation mechanisms to hold businesses accountable for violations of human rights, humanitarian, labor, environmental, and other international principles and best practices, and will contribute to further international legal development along these lines.
In an increasingly interdependent
world, where poverty, disease, violence, crime, war, regional conflicts, and
human rights and environmental abuses persist, clear international standards
will help ensure that business will be part of the solution to today's problems
and not – knowingly or unknowingly -- exacerbate them.
To meet the new challenges with a sensible legal framework for business
behavior is in the interests of the companies themselves, as well as their
workers, shareholders, communities, and other stakeholders.
Indeed, the U.N. Human Rights Norms can make a substantial contribution
to long-term development and poverty reduction, which benefits both business and
society.
The nongovernmental organizations joining this Statement
represent many other organizations who support the U.N. Norms (as in the case
for example with Amnesty International, which has garnered the support of over
60 other organizations, Christian Aid, which works with over 500 partner
organizations, the Forum for Human Rights, which has over 40 member
organizations in Germany alone, FIDH, which represents over 100 member
organizations, and OMCT, which represents over 260 organizations).
This significant number of civil society organizations applauds the U.N.
Sub-Commission and its Working Group on Transnational Corporations for bringing
this multi-year effort to such a successful conclusion, and looks forward to
using the U.N. Human Rights Norms and Commentary in their work.
Contacts for further information:
Amnesty International:
David Petrasek Ph:
+42 (0) 74 135 714
Centro de Derechos Humanos y Ambiente/Center for Human Rights and Environment (CEDHA): Daniel Taillant or Julieta Cantarelli Ph: +54 351 425 6278
Christian Aid: Sharon McClenaghan Ph: + 44 (0) 207 523 2109
Chip Pitts (Int’l Attorney; prior U.N. delegate for
several of these NGO’s including Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and Minnesota
Advocated for Human Rights): Ph:
+1 214 906 9424
Ethical Globalization Initiative:
Scott Jerbi Ph:
+41 22 755 2125
FIDH (Fédération Internationale des ligues des Droits de
l’Homme): Antoine Madelin Ph: +41
(0) 79 331 2450
Forum for Human Rights:
Elisabeth Strohscheidt Ph:
+49 (0) 241 442 577
Human Rights Advocates:
Prof. Connie de la Vega
Ph: +1 415 422 6752
Human Rights Watch:
Arvind Ganesan Ph: + 1 202 612 4329
Wilder Tayler
Ph: +44 207 713 2785
International Commission of Jurists: Edwin Berry
Ph: +41 22 979 3808
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights:
David Danzig Ph:
+1 212 845 5252
Novartis
Foundation for Sustainable Development : Prof. Dr. Klaus M. Leisinger
Ph : +41 61 697 7122
OMCT (World
Organization Against Torture):
Oxfam GB: Sumi Dhanarjajan Ph : +44 1865 312198