Ocean and Human Rights Platform

Created by IHRB and the Rafto Foundation, the Ocean Platform encompasses all our work to prevent and address adverse human rights impacts across ocean industries.

The Ocean and Human Rights Platform is a collaborative endeavour between IHRB and the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights that encompasses all of our work - both online and on the ground - to raise the profile of ocean equity within international discussions on corporate activity at sea.

After living for nearly 100 years, I now understand the most important place is not on land, but at sea. If we save the sea, we save our world.

David Attenborough

The Platform works with regional partners in Colombia, Nigeria and India as well as rights-holders (communities and workers), duty-bearers (companies, financial institutions and governments) to raise awareness of, prevent and mitigate adverse human rights impacts across a number of ocean industries.

The Oceans and Human Rights platform has come at a critical time... together we can work to ensure business activities at sea acknowledge the role of oceans in the protection and support of life.

Nnimmo Bassey

Homef Africa

Our approach

By brokering regular dialogue between companies, government, civil society and rights-holders, the Platform aims to contribute to trust-building, benefit sharing, and ensuring those negatively impacted by ocean industry activities have access to grievance mechanisms and remedy.

It is crucial to enhance the inclusion of effective, direct participation by coastal communities, ensuring their diversity is reflected in discussions with the private sector and governments and in decision-making.

Astrid Puentes Riaño

UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

The current focus of the Platform’s work is on the human rights issues associated with shipping and shipyards, and with coastal wind energy. We have also worked on ports and on aquaculture and fishing.

The Ocean Platform has published a series of topic briefings covering the business and human rights aspects of all ocean industries; and also provides a selected list of useful resources, both internal and external, for those interested in all aspects of oceans and human rights.