Political events, social movements, technological innovations, and rapid economic growth and crises can undermine or uphold human rights, affecting the dignity and the lives and work of billions of people. The effects can sometimes be swift and global. Yet, those in the business and human rights community rarely get to reflect on how their work is influenced by, or should influence, such macro developments.
On November 14th-15th, IHRB hosted its second annual Circle of Innovators event, this year hosted at the offices of Clifford Chance in New York. The Circle of Innovators is a Chatham House rule dialogue that seeks to build new opportunities and capacities to make sense of these big picture developments, as well as informing IHRB's own strategy and priorities.
The dialogue was opened with a keynote address by the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad al Hussein. Following his recent departure from the UN's top human rights job, Zeid offered his reflections on shifting power balances, the landscape for human rights advocacy, and the future of leadership that he hoped to see in the world.
Additional sessions covered themes focused both on gender as well as trade, featuring entirely female panels (excluding moderators):
- A fireside chat with Catrin Einhorn and Melena Ryzik of the New York Times and Purna Sen of UN Women
- A business briefing on Gender, Business and the Human Rights Landscape
- Sexual Violence in Global Supply Chains
- Discrimination and Empowerment in the Sports Industry
- Safeguards for China's Belt and Road Initiative
