International Human Rights Day 2023 marks 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the international community’s foundational statement affirming the inherent dignity and equal rights of all people.
This moment is marked by multiple global crises, including horrific conflicts in Israel and Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, and many other parts of the world, all of which threaten to fracture world order and undermine international standards intended to protect all people.
What roles should business play to help advance human rights in a period of such uncertainty?
In 1958, on the 10th anniversary of the UDHR, Eleanor Roosevelt spoke of the ‘small places, close to home’ where human rights matter. She included the factory, the farm, and the office among ‘the small places’ where all people seek equal justice, equal opportunity, and equal dignity without discrimination.
In a time of conflict, climate crisis, rapidly evolving technologies, and persistent inequalities, what are the ‘small places’ and new frontiers where responsible business will be critical? Where might progress falter if ‘business as usual’ continues? How can business leadership help renew a global commitment to human rights over the decades to come?
Each International Human Rights Day, IHRB releases our “Top 10 Business & Human Rights Issues” - an annual forecast of priority challenges and opportunities in the year ahead.
2024’s Top 10 list looks further into the future, and examines the places where business actions are likely to be critical in the decades to come. Some of these issues have been long-standing parts of the business and human rights agenda, while others are still emerging challenges, far beyond our ability to see clearly. All will require new forms of leadership and collective action in order to advance human rights in the years ahead.