Taxing Human Rights?

"The governments of developing countries urgently need to increase their tax bases so that public services - key to fulfilling basic rights and tackling poverty - are available for all. The taxes levied on multinational corporations operating in...

Another Factory Tragedy - How Will the Bangladesh and the World React?

This week another disaster struck Bangladesh's garment export sector. Over 250 workers – mainly women – died in the collapse of a building that housed four garment factories in Dhaka. The death toll is likely to mount as rescue work continues.

Last...

Taking Stock of Business and Human Rights in the United States: Reflections on visit of UN Working Group

This week, members of the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations are making an official visit to the United States (US) as part of the Group’s mandate to promote the effective implementation of the UN...

ICT sector transparency reports: How do they help civil society defend freedom of expression

Microsoft is the latest company in the ICT sector to publish a report showing how it complies with requests it receives from law enforcement agencies worldwide to release user data. These are known as ‘transparency reports’ and Microsoft is among...

Now the real work begins: Implementing the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers

The last decade has seen an explosion in the use of private military and security contractors by governments, industry, the U.N., and humanitarian organizations. Meanwhile, the means to hold these companies and their personnel accountable for...

The Glasgow 2014 Games and Human Rights – An opportunity to put the new Commonwealth Charter into practice

"On the back of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (London 2012) - which arguably set the gold standard for sustainability at a Mega-Sporting Event (MSE) – and London’s commitment to leave a lasting legacy, expectations for the Glasgow...

Progress in Corporate Accountability

Last week Human Rights Watch released its 2013 World Report. It includes an essay by Senior Researcher Christopher Albin-Lackey decrying the hard won and widely adopted UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (GPs) as being “woefully...

ICT and human rights: A roundup of 2012 and challenges for 2013

by Lucy Purdon, IHRB Programme Support Manager: ICT

Freedom of expression and privacy, two rights intertwined with the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, were very much in the spotlight in 2012. Balancing the two is not easy,...

Foreign investment in Haiti – is the time right?

This week marks the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010. The extent of the disaster and human suffering that resulted led to unprecedented international efforts focused on assisting the Haitian people to...

Coca-Cola’s Report on its Myanmar operations - a model for others?

The Coca-Cola Company recently submitted its first report on its Myanmar operations to the US State Department under the Responsible Investment Reporting Requirements required of all US companies investing more than US$500,000 in Myanmar.

In...

The UK position on EU membership: Are human rights relevant?

Tomorrow British Prime Minister David Cameron will deliver a much-anticipated speech on the UK’s future in the European Union (EU). The Prime Minister’s views, as well as a likely referendum, have resulted in pre-emptive statements from other world...

Human Rights, Business and the Dhaka principles

This op-ed was originally published in the Daily Star in Dhaka Bangladesh.

On this International Migrants Day, we are reminded of the plight of migrant workers around the globe, whether they are working in cities in their home countries or...

The Dhaka Principles for Migration With Dignity

"Over 200 million migrants contribute to the global workforce. Many struggle in low-paid and dangerous working conditions, are under-protected by home and host governments, and exploited by business."

On this International Migrants’ Day, painful...

Engaging Business in Human Rights

This op-Ed was originally published on Forumblog.org.

International Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations on 10 December 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first international proclamation...

What the WCIT could mean for business and human rights

Over the next two weeks at the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT), members of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will review a treaty called the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) for the first...

The Dark Side of Free Speech

This op-Ed was originally published on Yaleglobal.yale.edu.

"Policymakers are faced with difficult choices: whether some aspects of internet content should be censored, including self-censorship by content providers, and what rules and processes...

Tapping and Phone Hacking in Eastern Europe

This op-Ed was originally published on TheGuardian.com.

"Government interference in communications can be extensive and often arbitrary in many countries – including in countries that aren't authoritarian. Governments have interfered by imposing...

Views on Kiobel vs. Shell

Last week the United States Supreme Court once again considered the case of Esther Kiobel vs. Royal Dutch Petroleum (Detailed background of the case here). It is too soon to say what the Court’s verdict will be, but whichever way the judges decide,...

Human Rights Challenges Amidst Myanmar’s Gold Rush

This commentary was originally published in the Business Times on September 28, 2012.

At first blush, Myanmar appears to be on a path towards democratization. President Thein Sein’s administration has instituted a series of political reforms after...

Business Must do More to Protect the World’s Most Vulnerable Workers

This op-Ed was originally published on TheGuardian.com.

IHRB, together with the Anti-Slavery International, has called for greater protection for workers in this sector through the Staff Wanted Initiative and for hotels to undertake greater due...