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Monday, November 26
 

9:00am CET

Voices from the ground
http://webtv.un.org/search/panel-on-voices-from-the-ground-forum-on-business-and-human-rights-2018/5971600547001/?term=&lan=english&cat=Forum%20on%20Business%20and%20Human%20Rights&sort=date&page=2

Convened by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights in collaboration with: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco-growing (ECLT), The African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA), Dhaatri Resource Centre for Women and Children's Rights, Global Witness and Rafto Foundation for Human Rights

Short description of the session:
This trailblazing session will feature a panel made up of only human rights defenders and community representatives from all regions, who will speak frankly about their stories and experiences of working to improve business respect for human rights in their countries, as well as the attacks they are under because of doing so. The session will be divided into three parts: the first part with focus on ways in which they’ve successfully defended themselves and achieved their goals this year, the second part will identify the common challenges that defenders and community representatives face in their work, and the third part will outline what they want to see between now and the next forum. We will leave enough time for interaction with the audience after each segment.
This session will offer an insight into the lives and struggles of defenders and community representatives, and outline a set of their core challenges and expectations to businesses, investors and governments, thus setting the scene for the 7th Forum on Business and Human Rights.

Session objectives:
The session will provide a “reality-check” early on in the Forum, and outline a set of core challenges and expectations by defenders and community representatives to businesses and governments, thus setting the scene for the 7th Forum on Business and Human Rights. The goal of the first part will be discuss ways that they’ve successfully defended themselves and achieved their goals so far, the objective of the second part will be to identify common challenges that defenders face in their work, and the objective of the third part will be to for defenders and community representatives to voice their expectations to the forum (governments, businesses, and investors).

Key discussion questions:
  • 1st part: focuses on ways in which they’ve successfully defended themselves and achieved their goals so far
    Question(s) to speakers: What was your main achievement in your work as a defender or community representatives this year? Why do you do what you do and what keeps you going?  
    Sub-questions: What were the main things that helped you and your colleagues continue defending human rights in the context of business operations in your country over the past year (coalitions, partnerships, new approaches to work, financial support, new laws, support from community/ family/ friends, religion, etc.)
  • 2nd part: focuses on challenges HRDs face in their work
    Question(s) to speakers: Who prevents you from advocating for rights in your country and how? What are the main types of attack you and your colleagues have faced in defending human rights in business operations in your country this year?
  • 3rd part: focuses on what they would like to ask from the forum (govts, businesses, investors) - what do they want to see between now and the next forum
    Question(s) to be asked to speakers: What are the main things that you would like to see businesses, investors and governments do in the coming year, that would  improve the safety for and prevent attacks on defenders working for human rights in business in your country, and improve business respect for human rights? 

Format of the session:
The session will open with a question or two to the audience to get them engaged early on. It will then be divided into three parts: the first part will identify ways in which they’ve successfully defended themselves and achieved their goals so far, the second will identify challenges that defenders face in their work, and the third part will outline what they would like to ask from the forum (governments, businesses, and investors) and what do they want to see between now and the next forum. We will leave enough time for interaction with the audience after each segment, so that governments, investors and businesses, can voice their proposals and feedback, and so that defenders and community representatives that won’t get a chance to speak on the panel, will have the opportunity to also share their stories (time permitting). The role of the moderator will be to engage the audience and to summarize the challenges and the demands voiced by the defenders.
In terms of identifying and voicing expectations, the speakers and the moderator will, to the extent possible, surface and built upon existing demands, such as the Action plan from the World HRDs Summit, the joint statement from 40+ civil society organizations from 2016, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders’ reports on the topic and other relevant material.

Background to the discussion:
Business and civil society operate in and benefit from a “shared space” defined by common, fundamental elements. The rule of law and freedom of expression, association and assembly are essential to the realization of all human rights, to good governance and accountable institutions. These elements are also critical to stable, profitable and sustainable business environments in which companies thrive and economies prosper. Standards and practices have evolved over the last two decades to encourage or require companies to respect human rights. Moreover, company engagement and consultation with local communities and stakeholders is overcoming conflict and confrontation in places and ways that encourage further progress. However, this shared space is under threat, not least through a sustained and growing attack on defenders wherever businesses have failed to comply with and respect due diligence national laws, standards and national and international human rights protocols. Alarmingly, in the last decade, HRDs have increasingly come under massive attack. Since 2015, there have been over 1,300 attacks on HRDs working human rights issues related to business, including almost 400 killings. Workers were exposed to physical violence and threats in 65 countries in 2018 and trade unionists were murdered in nine countries in the first half of that year. Journalists are increasingly being imprisoned and attacked – 262 journalists were imprisoned in 2017 and 29 journalists have been killed in 2018. Civicus data indicates that only 3% of people on the planet live in countries with truly ‘open civic space’. These pressures and attacks undermine the legal and institutional frameworks upon which both business and civil society depend. For the business and human rights agenda to continue moving forward, defenders, and the civic freedoms they need to do their work, must be recognized as a vital and inescapable part of ensuring human rights respect in business operations. Defenders cannot play that role without solid guarantees of safety and security. States have primary role in ensuring corporates respect constitutional frameworks and set in place governance machinery, regulatory mechanisms, legal and policy structures and resources as well as place the upholding of human rights and well-being of all its citizens at the core of its development economy.


Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Debbie Stothard

Debbie Stothard

Coordinator/Founder, ALTSEAN
Grassroots-centered initiatives, youth activism. Women's leadership, atrocity prevention, BHR.

Speakers
SK

Saeeda Kathoum

spokes-person, Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association
O

Olman

Olman represents his fellow students and his community in Western Guatemala. Though he has returned to his studies, Olman is a former child labourer who will share about the realities he and other young people like him face accessing education, working from a young age. As the first-ever... Read More →
avatar for Emmanuel Umpula

Emmanuel Umpula

Directeur, AFREWATCH
M. Umpula Nkumba Emmanuel, est directeur et fondateur de Afrewatch (AFREWATCH), il est juriste et travaille depuis 2002 à la défense et la promotion des droits de l'homme en RDC et en Afrique sur les entreprises et les droits de l'homme. Pendant son parcours, il a occupé plusieurs... Read More →


Monday November 26, 2018 9:00am - 10:30am CET
Room XX

3:00pm CET

Integrating indigenous peoples rights in human rights due diligence: what does it mean in practice?
Interpretation is provided in English, French and Spanish
 
Brief description of the session and session objectives: 

The objectives of this session are to: (1) discuss good practices from the perspective of the indigenous rights holders, lessons-learned, gaps, and challenges to strengthen the implementation of FPIC, in particular the significance of community protocols in the context of business activities and (2) identify factors for an enabling environment for respecting indigenous peoples’ rights and effective implementation of FPIC process.

Background to the discussion:

Following the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, a growing number of investors, financial institutions and businesses in a range of sectors have developed, or are in the process of developing, safeguard policies that require them to respect indigenous peoples’ rights, especially their right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) as part of the human rights due diligence expected of them and social license to operate. Furthermore, indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination and to lands, territories and resources have been gaining support and attention at different levels. However, a growing body of decisions of UN human rights bodies, regional and national courts and complaint mechanisms such as the OECD National Contract Points demonstrate that indigenous peoples continue to be the victims of human rights abuses associated with business activities.
At the same time, indigenous peoples are increasingly developing their own protocols and policies, which provide guidance to States and corporations on how to consult with them and seek their FPIC in accordance with their right to self-determination and their customary decision-making practices. Communities from the Murut Tahol Community in Alutok, Ulu Tomani, Tenom, Malyasia as well as the Juruna People in the Brazilian Amazon and the Embera Chami in Colombia, are among those who have developed such protocols. These protocols reflect the community's identity, culture, ways of life and the interconnection of territories, peoples and nature. They highlight the central importance of respect for indigenous peoples’ rights, including their self-determination right to decide their own plans, priorities and visions for their futures and the related right of communities to make decisions on externally proposed projects in or near their territories.
The UN Forum on Business and Human Rights is unique in that it provides all parties involved in such projects, i.e. States, private sector actors and indigenous peoples, a space in which to dialogue and to ensure that the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are effective for indigenous peoples, particularly in relation to their collective rights to self-determination, FPIC and lands, territories and resources.

Key discussion questions:
  • What were the different contexts that community protocols have played a role (or could play a role) in facilitating meaningful FPIC processes?
  • To what extent do community protocols address the role of governments in human rights due diligence and FPIC and the corresponding responsibilities of corporations?
  • What are the experiences of implementing FPIC processes in different regions and are there good practices that can be replicated by other indigenous communities or adopted by States or private sectors in their policies and guidelines?
 
Format of the session: 

The event will consist of a panel discussion with brief case study presentations followed by a 50-minute interactive discussion with session participants. The focus will be on how to ensure the effective implementation of consultation and FPIC in the context of business activities and the role which indigenous peoples’ consultation and FPIC protocols can play in this regard.
Indigenous community representatives from three regions (Asia, Latin America and Africa) will present their experience with consultation and FPIC processes and their views on the importance and benefits of consultation and free prior and informed consent (FPIC) protocols that are developed by indigenous peoples themselves.
The floor will be opened to participants to raise questions and present their perspectives on and experiences with consultation and FPIC processes and on related protocols developed by indigenous peoples. This part of the session will be “talk show format”, with the participants having the opportunity to raise questions amongst each other as in a public dialogue or engage with the panel.

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
MA

Mary Ann Bayang

the Indigenous Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education
avatar for Cathal Doyle

Cathal Doyle

Research Fellow, Middlesex University London School of Law
Research fellow at Middlesex University London School of Law and member of the European Network on Indigenous Issues (ENIP)
avatar for Lea Nicholas-MacKenzie,

Lea Nicholas-MacKenzie,

Special Advisor for Indigenous Issues to the Canadian government, Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations
Lea Nicholas-MacKenzie is a member of the Wəlastəkwey nation (Maliseet First Nation) in New Brunswick, Canada.Ms. Nicholas-MacKenzie has served in a variety of public and private sector capacities. Most recently, she was Chief of Staff to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Windel Bolinget

Windel Bolinget

Chaiperson, Cordillera Peoples Alliance, the Philippines, Cordillera Peoples Alliance and KATRIBU, Philippines
I am an Indigenous Bontok-Kankanaey of the Igorot peoples of northern Luzon, Philippines. I am the Chairperson of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and the National Co-Convenor of KATRIBU, the national alliance of indigenous peoples in the Philippines. I have been an activist... Read More →
NC

Nicholas Cotts

Vice President - Sustainability and External Relations, Newmont Mining Corporation
avatar for Mali Ole Kaunga

Mali Ole Kaunga

Director/Founder, IMPACT/ PARAN alliance Kenya
Mali Ole Kaunga is a laikipia Maasai, the founder and Director of OSILIGI(Organisation for the Survival of IL- Laikipiak Maasai Indigenous Group Initiatives) that translate to HOPE in Maasai. OSILIGI later transformed into IMPACT (Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict... Read More →
AL

Ana Laynez

Indigenous authority, Ixil indigenous community, Guatemala


Monday November 26, 2018 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Room XXIII

4:40pm CET

Connecting child rights and human rights due diligence in practice
Interpretation is provided into Spanish

Organized by UNICEF

Short description and session objectives:
This session will explore different methods of conducting human rights due diligence with consideration of children’s rights and voice, and the role of different stakeholders in making this happen including investors, governments, companies and UN agencies. The session will consider both challenges and solutions to the integration of child rights into business processes by engaging the audience in an interactive and participatory manner.  

Format:
Interactive discussion between main panel speakers and different interventions from the floor representing different perspectives and voices.


Background to the discussion:
The focus of the session is to emphasize the need for companies to take specific measures to understand and address their potential impacts on groups and communities that may be at heightened risk of vulnerability or marginalization. Children are often the most vulnerable population, requiring specific attention to guarantee respect for their human rights. It is possible that one business activity might not impact the rights of adults, but the same activity could adversely impact the rights of a child. Despite this, children have not been adequately considered by business. Companies’ consideration of their impact on child rights is often relegated to the issue of child labour or community investment, yet the impacts of business on children extend to such aspects as product design and advertising, the behaviour of staff towards children, and children’s rights in the supply chain, and the ways that companies operate in the wider community. Moreover, children are usually less well placed to advocate for their own interests and may be silenced within their households or communities. Unless companies make dedicated efforts to understand the risks they pose to child rights, and engage child rights advocates – children may be at risk of exclusion from companies’ human rights due diligence and stakeholder engagement processes.




Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Chloe Poynton

Chloe Poynton

Co-Founder and Principal, Article One
Chloe is a Principal at Article One, a business & human rights consulting firm that works with companies, institutions, and state agencies to develop and implement strategies to promote corporate respect for human rights.

Speakers
avatar for Francisco Barbosa

Francisco Barbosa

Presidential Adviser on Human Rights, Government of Colombia
avatar for Jaap Bartels

Jaap Bartels

Save the Children
Child Rights & Business advisor with expertise on how to integrate human rights, and specifically children’s rights, by means of innovative and tailor-made projects for and with companies throughout international value chains. Thereby preventing, mitigating and remediating adverse... Read More →
TF

Teresa Fogelberg

Deputy Chief Executive, GRI
avatar for Ines Kaempfer

Ines Kaempfer

Executive Director, CCR CSR
The Center for Child-Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility (CCR CSR) has been a pioneer in advising businesses on child rights since 2009. Our team has extensive experience and expertise in helping companies improve, develop and implement sustainability strategies, programs and... Read More →
avatar for Andrew Mawson

Andrew Mawson

Chief of the Child Rights and Business, UNICEF
Andrew Mawson is the Chief of the Child Rights and Business. He leads UNICEF’s work on addressing the impact of business on children, also known as child rights and business. This has four major child impact themes: global supply chains and workplaces, marketing and advertising... Read More →
WM

Wilhelm Mohn

Head of Sustainability Initiatives, Ownership Strategies, Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM)
HO

Heidi Oliveira

Global Human Rights, Mars, Incorporated
avatar for Julia Olofsson

Julia Olofsson

Global Human and Child Rights Manager, Ingka Group
avatar for Jazz SinghKhaira

Jazz SinghKhaira

Global Manager, Worker and Community Development, VF Corporation
Driving sustainable development through business. Talk to me about; Child Rights, Garment and Apparel Supply Chains, Reaching the Deeper Supply Chain.


Monday November 26, 2018 4:40pm - 6:00pm CET
Room XXIII

6:15pm CET

How indigenous people can "renew" renewable energies
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Organized by ENEL

Brief description of the session:
This session will explore the nexus between renewable energies and Indigenous people.  Enel Green Power will be publishing a book to give a voice to some of the indigenous communities hosting renewable plants in different countries with regard to the cultural aspects of water, earth, wind and sun,  all of which,  from the company’s point of view, are primarily energy sources. This will serve as a starting point for the session.

Session objectives:
To open a multi-stakeholders’ dialogue on the implications of Indigenous people rights and renewable energies deployment.

Key discussion questions:
Analyzing how renewable plants relate to indigenous peoples, with a focus on cultural identities and natural resources. Underlying themes of this session are both the relation between indigenous peoples' rights and the impacts of business activities, as well as the link between climate change and the transition to a green economy.

Format of the session:
Roundtable and Q&A

Background to the discussion:
On the one hand, renewable energies are key to fight climate change whose negative impacts are particularly strong on those emerging economies where indigenous communities are more concentrated;  on the other hand, the same technologies still have environmental, socio-economic and cultural impacts.
 The private sector in general, and Enel Green Power in particular, has been focusing its efforts on mitigating socio-environmental impacts, through its sustainable construction site and plant models.
The panel will concentrate on how renewable energies can be integrated in an environment, which is not only a physical entity but also a cultural landscape where, for example, “energy sources” have cultural/spiritual meanings. The discussion will be led by representatives of indigenous communities EGP is working or will be working with, institutional representatives and one artist who has been working on art as a tool for social inclusion.



Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
Speakers
avatar for Martyn Ellis

Martyn Ellis

Indigenous representative, Enel Green Energy
Renewable Energy and indigenous involvement
MF

Marco Frey

Global Compact Italian Network
JG

Jesus Gomez

Guatemala
RB

Roba Bulga Jilo

Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, Ethiopia
avatar for Lise Kingo

Lise Kingo

CEO and Executive Director, UN Global Compact
Lise Kingo is the CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, which is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative with more than 13,500 signatories from 170 countries that have committed to aligning strategies and operations with universal principles... Read More →
avatar for Mohammadi Saleh Mahmoud

Mohammadi Saleh Mahmoud

Artist, winner of Cairo Prize
My Name is Mahmoud Saleh Mohammadi,Contemporary artist born in 1979 in Tehran.I live in Milan, the center of my art and my study.My communication is not only through painting, but also through Social-Art , installations and performances.these art forms intervening in our Contemporaneity... Read More →
GS

Gloria Serobe

Community Representative Khomani San, South Africa
BA

Bernarda Amolef Silva

Presidenta de la Comunidad Indígena Mapu Pillmaiquen, Chile


Monday November 26, 2018 6:15pm - 7:45pm CET
Room XXI

6:15pm CET

Special film screening with Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi: The Price of Free
Organized by the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and Participant Media

Short description of the session:
Join us for a special screening of THE PRICE OF FREE, followed by a conversation with Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi (other panelists TBD).
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, THE PRICE OF FREE is a suspenseful yet intimate look at one man’s groundbreaking struggle to liberate every child possible from slavery. From director Derek Doneen and Oscar winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth,” “He Named Me Malala”), the film follows Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and his team of leaders around the world through gripping secret raids and quests for missing children in the hopes of ending the cycle of poverty that forces them and their families into dreadful circumstances. Refusing to be daunted by the impossible, they have succeeded in rescuing over 87,000 children and created a global movement which has resulted in legislation which helps protect young children. The film was co-produced by Concordia Studio and Participant Media, and will be released by YouTube Originals.

Session objectives:
  • Introduce / re-introduce Kailash Satyarthi and his movement to the audience
  • Illuminate the persistence of child labor, hidden in supply chains
  • Discuss the role of business in child labor and slavery in supply chains
  • Describe the film’s social impact campaign and how companies in the room can screen this film for their employees, leaders and partners.

Key discussion questions:
  • What can the private sector do to help solve this problem?

Background to the discussion:
The film will be launched globally on November 27th by YouTube Originals.
The Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and Participant Media (in partnership with YouTube and Concordia Studio) will empower students, policymakers, and business leaders to take action toward a future that is child-labor free. The campaign will provide audiences across the U.S. and around the world with an opportunity to understand and reflect on how many of the products we use in our daily lives — from our coffee, to our clothes, to our mobile devices — could include the work of children. The campaign will provide pathways for audiences to invest, advocate and lead change.
Recognizing the key role that business plays in eliminating forced and child labor, Participant Media is offering the film to companies with global supply chains, so that they might screen for their employees, leadership, customers or shareholders. Companies may choose a date between October 2018 and April 2019 to screen all or a portion of the film and use the event as an opportunity to spark a conversation about improving supply chain practices. Participant Media will provide tools for hosting a successful screening event.

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Amanda Chen

Amanda Chen

VP, Social Impact, Participant Media
As VP of Social Impact, Amanda is responsible for the design and successful execution of social impact campaigns for Participant Media's documentary and narrative media slate. Amanda works to build strategic partnerships with non-profits, government and private sector organizations... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Kailash Satyarthi

Kailash Satyarthi

2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation
Nobel Peace Laureate (2014) and Child Rights Activist Kailash SatyarthiFounder, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation - Ending violence against children globallyMr Satyarthi has been a tireless advocate of children’s rights for more than three decades. He and the grassroots... Read More →



Monday November 26, 2018 6:15pm - 8:00pm CET
Room XX
 
Tuesday, November 27
 

8:30am CET

Human rights due diligence approaches for safeguarding migrant workers
Organized by Association of Labour Providers (ALP) and Stronger Together

Brief description of the session:
There are 150 million migrant workers globally, according to the ILOMigrant workers contribute to the economies of their host countries, and the remittances they send home help to boost the economies of their countries of origin. Yet at the same time human rights’ abuses involving migrant workers continue to be widespread. Migrant workers are vulnerable to exploitation, human trafficking and modern slavery at all stages of the employment cycle: recruitment, employment and termination.

In this session, attendees will discuss safeguarding migrant workers, particularly through responsible recruitment practices. Speakers from business, civil society and international organisations will enter into conversation with the audience whilst sharing their experiences and insights from working in the agricultural, food, garment, mining, construction and engineering sectors in a range of countries. They will explain models of good practice, collaboration and key lessons learned, with the intention to scale up the good practices and address remaining gaps and challenges, as per the conclusion of the UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises report to the General Assembly that this is much needed.

Session objectives:
  • Explore key human rights challenges regarding migrant workers across sectors, in particular regarding recruitment
  • Identify the practical steps different stakeholders should/can take to safeguard migrant workers across supply chains
  • Discuss what remediation should look like when incidents have been identified in the supply chain
  • Share good practice of collaborative initiatives and solutions

Key discussion questions:
  • What are the key human rights challenges regarding migrant workers?
  • What is the role of businesses regarding safeguarding migrant workers at different points in the supply chain?
  • What are the challenges to brands, employers and recruiters of poor recruitment practices in supply chains?
  • What role can businesses play in safeguarding migrant workers in countries where relevant legislation and/or enforcement is limited?
  • Are industry approaches rather than company-specific approaches more effective for addressing the most serious human rights risks for migrant workers?
  • Do we need compliance-based or beyond compliance solutions to create change?

Format of the session:
The session will be opened with a brief introduction by the moderator and the speakers, followed by an interactive, conversational session with the audience. The moderator will ask a question, provide speakers with the opportunity to respond with short remarks to frame discussions, after which the floor will be opened to the audience.

Background to the discussion:
Labour recruitment is now rightly identified as one of the greatest human rights risk areas in businesses and supply chains. Recruitment channels often operate across borders and exploitation of vulnerable workers can be hidden in informal and/or complex labour supply chains.
Momentum is rapidly growing to focus on this issue with brands, contractors and retailers’ ethical trading and sustainability programmes expanding to look not only at the conditions in the workplaces of the businesses that supply them or are subcontracted by them, but also at the conditions faced by jobseekers and workers throughout their recruitment journey.

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Hannah Newcomb

Hannah Newcomb

Head of Responsible Recruitment, Association of Labour Providers

Speakers
avatar for Henrietta Lake

Henrietta Lake

Founder, Director, Lake Advisory
Dr Henrietta Lake is an independent consultant advising brands and retailers on human rights in their global supply chains.For the last 5 years Henri has been responsible for designing and delivering Sainsbury's Supermarkets ethical trade strategy across its global supply chain in... Read More →
avatar for Mathieu Luciano

Mathieu Luciano

Head of the Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants Unit, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Mathieu Luciano is the Head of the Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants Unit at the headquarters of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva. Within IOM’s Migrant Protection and Assistance Division, he is in charge of IOM’s anti-trafficking programming, as well... Read More →
avatar for Peter Nestor

Peter Nestor

Director, Human Rights, BSR
Peter leads BSR’s consulting and collaborative initiative efforts on human rights, including BSR’s cross-industry Human Rights Working Group. He has supported companies through a range of human rights consulting projects, with expertise in the information and communications technology... Read More →
avatar for Vani Saraswathi

Vani Saraswathi

Associate Editor and Director of Projects, Migrant-Rights.Org
Vani Saraswathi is the Associate Editor and Director of Projects, Migrant-Rights.org and the author of Stories of Origin: The Invisible Lives of Migrants in the Gulf. The book is an anthology of reporting from seven origin countries over a period of three years.Vani moved to Qatar in 1999, working with several local and regional publications, and launching some of Qatar’s leading periodicals during her 17-year stint there. During her stay in... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 8:30am - 9:45am CET
Room XXI

11:30am CET

Safeguarding human rights defenders: new efforts and tackling growing threats
http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/forum-on-business-and-human-rights/watch/panel-on-safeguarding-human-rights-defenders-forum-on-business-and-human-rights-2018/5972123912001/?term=

Organized by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights in collaboration with: 
  • Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
  • Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
  • Global Witness
  • International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
  • International Service for Human Rights
  • Peace Brigades International
  • Rafto Foundation for Human Rights

Brief description of the session :

The need for enhancing protection of human rights defenders who speak up against business-related human rights impacts is a standing item on the Forum’s agenda. This session led by the UN Working Group in collaboration with NGOs is envisaged to consist of two parts:
  1. The first part of the session will be dedicated to showcasing new efforts to strengthen corporate respect and support for human rights defenders. Presentations will be brief, but meant to highlight encouraging initiatives and action.
  2. The second part of the session will focus on the growing trend of criminalization and legal harassment of defenders who speak up against business-related impacts and identify concrete action to be taken by governments, business and others to address it. The panel aims to identify what "human rights due diligence" is needed and what are some of the practical considerations for preventing that companies become involved in criminalization and legal harassment of defenders who engage in legitimate efforts to address potential and actual adverse impacts. This will include identifying steps to be taken by:
  • home States
  • host States
  • companies that cause negative impacts and who are the main targets of criticism
  • companies that have business relationships to those causing the abuse (typically transnational corporations and their responsibility to address impacts in their supply chain)
  • investors
  • companies that invest in contexts where criminalization of human rights defenders is a salient issue
Background to the discussion:

Threats to human rights defenders and to civic freedoms are increasing concerns globally. A large number of human rights defenders are under threat and attack because they raise concern about adverse human rights impacts of business operations, often in the context of large development projects that affects access to land and livelihoods. At the same time, the space for civil society actors to raise concerns about human rights impacts is shrinking, and human rights defenders face criminalization when engaging in public protest or civil dissent.
Concerns are being raised about the role of business in contributing to attacks against human rights defenders or in failing to take action against such attacks. Questions are also being raised about the role of business in helping to protect human rights defenders and civic space.
States have the primary obligation to ensure the rights and protection of human rights defenders, as set out in various human rights instruments – in particular the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders – and as reaffirmed in many UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly resolutions, including through the March 2016 resolution on the protection of human rights defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights.
The importance of human rights defenders in the context of business-related impacts on human rights is recognized by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. They highlight the key role human rights defenders can have in human rights due diligence and enabling companies to understand concerns of affected stakeholders. In particular, the Guiding Principles:
  • Urge businesses to consult human rights defenders as an important expert resource as part of their human rights due diligence, as defenders have a key role as watchdogs, advocates and voice for affected stakeholders.
  • Urge States to ensure that the legitimate activities of human rights defenders are not obstructed.

References

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Anita Ramasastry

Anita Ramasastry

Member, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Ms. Anita Ramasastry is the Roland L. Hjorth Professor of Law and the Director of the Graduate Program in Sustainable International Development at the University of Washington School Of Law. She researches and teaches in the fields of law and development, anti-corruption, international... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Brittany Benowitz

Brittany Benowitz

Chief Counsel, ABA Center for Human Rights
I run a program at the American Bar Association that provides pro bono assistance to human rights defenders who face retaliation for their work.
avatar for Bennett Freeman

Bennett Freeman

Co-founder and Board Secretary, Global Network Initiative (GNI)
Over the last 17 years of a three decade-long career, Bennett Freeman has worked at the intersection of multinational companies, responsible investors, NGOs, governments and international institutions to promote corporate responsibility, sustainability and human rights around the... Read More →
avatar for Andreas Graf

Andreas Graf

Head of Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination, FIFA
Andreas Graf is Head of Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination at FIFA. Andreas coordinates FIFA's work to embed respect for human rights throughout the organisation's operations and relationships. He holds a PhD in political science.
avatar for Johanna Molina Miranda

Johanna Molina Miranda

Researcher on Human Rights and Business, CREER
Lawyer, Specialist in International Law of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law with studies in Politics and International Security and currently studying for a Masters in Public International Law. She has experience in the public sector, as well as research and training... Read More →
avatar for Mohammad Nayyeri

Mohammad Nayyeri

Justice for Iran
Mohammad Nayyeri is an Iranian Attorney at Law specialising in human rights with substantial work experience within Iranian legal system. He has acted as legal advisor for a number of human rights NGOs and his research papers and legal commentaries regarding the Iranian legal system... Read More →
avatar for Ana Sandoval

Ana Sandoval

Peaceful Resistance “La Puya”, Guatemala, Peaceful Resistance “La Puya”, Guatemala
avatar for Lorenzo Urbinati

Lorenzo Urbinati

Programme Manager, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
avatar for Clément Nyaletsossi Voule

Clément Nyaletsossi Voule

UN Special Rapporteur on Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association
Clément Nyaletsossi VOULE, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association. Prior to his appointment, he led the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) work to support human rights defenders from States in transition and coordinated... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 11:30am - 1:00pm CET
Room XX

12:30pm CET

Snapshot: How investing in basic sanitation can help guarantee women’s rights: a case study from Brazil

Short description of the presentation:
The problems surrounding the lack of sanitation and the notorious consequences of such inadequacies for women’s rights correlate directly to inadequate investment in universalizing these services. Building water and sewage systems in cities that currently lack sanitation services significantly advances human rights, especially for women. This is what happened to the women of Uruguaiana, a city in Brazil’s southernmost state. The presentation will focus on how investments in sanitation over the last eight years, have been made in a human rights compliant manner, including through mapping and analyzing social vulnerabilities before disbursing, and impact analysis to ensure residents have benefited from the investments made. The presentation will also explain how the active multi-stakeholders engagement made this turnaround possible.

Presentation objectives:
Using the study entitled “Sanitation and the Lives of Brazilian Women” and presenting the case of “Uruguaiana” to showcase how investment in sanitation services significantly advances human rights, especially for women. It will also show how engagement efforts and environmental education contributes to viewing sanitation services as a basic right to which all peoples are fully entitled.

Speakers
avatar for Teresa Vernaglia

Teresa Vernaglia

CEO, BRK Ambiental
For more than 25 years, Teresa Vernaglia has held leadership positions in multinational companies, in the area of telecommunication and energy infrastructure, acquiring experience in the segment during its universalization process.In May 2017, she became CEO of BRK Ambiental, the... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 12:30pm - 12:45pm CET
Room XXIV

12:45pm CET

Snapshot: #Metoo and She too– Addressing sexual abuse and other gender-specific violations

Brief description of the presentation:
Most human rights instruments appear gender neutral, but will often affect men and women differently due to the substantial differences in the lives of men and women. One of the most salient gender-specific human rights for all women impacted by business activities are sexual abuse and harassment. The #Metoo campaign has exposed the massive extent of such violations in many industries in the global north. There is little reason to believe that this is any different in the global south. It is most likely the opposite in many of the countries where women´s basic human rights have weak support and protection. #Metoo has exposed the need for whistle blowing safe reporting systems, and for women to organize and speak to identify, prevent and remediate abuse and finally change the game.

Presentation objectives:
In the snapshot we will discuss how lessons learned from #Metoo can speed up the efforts to effectively integrate gender in the UNGPs.

Speakers
avatar for Sylvi Bratten

Sylvi Bratten

Head of Analysis, Development and Communications, FOKUS – Forum for women and development
avatar for Gunhild Ørstavik

Gunhild Ørstavik

Advisor, FOKUS Forum for Women and Development


Tuesday November 27, 2018 12:45pm - 1:00pm CET
Room XXIV

1:00pm CET

Snapshot: Gender, corporate due diligence, access to justice and indigenous women human rights defenders – Case study from Asia

Brief description of the presentation:
Indigenous women are most closely associated with the habitat in which they live as their economic, social and cultural way of nurturing their families and communities is dependent on their access to land, forests and other natural resources. When business interests enter the dynamics of resource utilization they bring drastic changes to women’s lives. The legal and customary safeguards, which traditionally ensure that women are not disenfranchised from decision-making and consultative processes or accountability mechanisms, are negatively impacted when corporate stakes violate the rights of indigenous women, especially in sectors like mining. The speakers will represent the Asia Regional Alliance on Women and Mining and will refer to human rights violations of women human rights defenders (WHRDs) by the state and business-related human rights abuse due to irresponsible mineral extraction and processing in the region. The presentation will also focus on state and corporate due diligence requirements and related commitments with respect to transparency, accountability, monitoring and safeguards mechanisms for the protection of WHRDs.

Presentation objectives: 
The snapshot presenters will make concise recommendations based on wide engagement with indigenous women and affected women workers and communities, and will present due diligence best practices that uphold human rights standards and promote sustainable development.
 

Speakers
avatar for Bhanumathi Kalluri

Bhanumathi Kalluri

Director, Dhaatri Trust
CP

Cheryl P. Polutan

Program Coordinator, LILAK Purple Action for Indigenous Women's Rights


Tuesday November 27, 2018 1:00pm - 1:15pm CET
Room XXIV

1:30pm CET

Accountability and building trust on corporate engagement on rights of LGBTI people
http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/forum-on-business-and-human-rights/watch/panel-on-rights-of-lgbti-people-forum-on-business-and-human-rights-2018/5972148544001/?term=

Organized by United Nations 

Session objectives:
This session, featuring some of the most prominent activists and corporations engaged on the human rights of LGBTI people, will discuss how to build bridges between LGBTI activists and the private sector and how to create mutual trust and accountability.

Background: 
For the past twelve months, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has engaged companies and activists on the United Nations Human Rights LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business. To date, 200 of the World largest companies have publicly expressed support for these Standards. Yet, some in the LGBTI community and human rights practitioners sometimes express mistrust in companies’ engagement concerned that their efforts could be limited to marketing strategies which stop when “doing the right thing” gets in the way of the bottom line or that companies might be too selective in their overall human rights approach. Similarly, the anti-pink washing message was central to both Paris and London Prides this year.

Hashtag: 
#Biz4LGBTI, #UNForumBHR, #bizhumanrights

Format
Short video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zeeVEKaDLM), panel followed by Q&A


Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Fabrice Houdart

Fabrice Houdart

Human Rights Officer, UN
Fabrice works on the Free & Equal campaign, an unprecedented United Nations global public education campaign for LGBT equality. He also leads a project on global LGBTI standards of conduct for Business on tackling LGBTI discrimination with the support of more than 100 of the largest... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Mani AQ

Mani AQ

Co-Chair of ILGA Asia, Executive Board Member of ILGA World
Mani (he/him) is Co-Founder of HOPE – Have Only Positive Expectations and working as a Program Executor in the organization. HOPE works on:- Enhancement of Mental Health.- Providing safe-space / community center.- Sensitization & Counselling Sessions.- Monetary Support in emergency... Read More →
avatar for Clare Iery

Clare Iery

Chief Human Rights Counsel, The Procter & Gamble Company
Clare Iery is P&G’s Chief Human Rights Counsel. In that capacity, she developed and is responsible for implementing P&G’s “Respecting Human Rights” program. Clare is a highly valued and effective leader who ensures strong governance and practices while strengthening P&G’s... Read More →
avatar for Michael Karimian

Michael Karimian

Senior Manager, Human Rights, Microsoft
avatar for Leanne MacMillan

Leanne MacMillan

Director of Global Programmes, Stonewall
LGBT and human rights; business and human rights; developing countries and advocacy for human rights; strategic litigation; UN advocacy
avatar for Aung Myo Min

Aung Myo Min

Executive Director, Equality Myanmar
Aung Myo Min is the Executive Director of Equality Myanmar based in Yangon working on human rights education and advocacy for protection and promotion of human rights in Myanmar. Myo is one of the pioneers in human rights education in Burma working closely with women, youth, refugees... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 1:30pm - 2:45pm CET
Room XX

3:00pm CET

Developing a gender lens to business and human rights
http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/forum-on-business-and-human-rights/watch/panel-i-developing-a-gender-lens-forum-on-business-and-human-rights-2018/5972170222001/?term=

Organized by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights

Brief description of the session: 
Against this background, this session – framed as a “gender roundtable” – will discuss major challenges faced by women in business-related contexts and explore potential solutions as well as good practices to address these challenges. The roundtable will focus on the following five thematic areas:
  • Sexual harassment and sexual violence against women
  • Gender sensitive human rights due diligence
  • Economic inclusion and empowerment of women
  • Impact of trade, investment and tax regimes on women
  • Women’s experiences of accessing effective remedies and defending rights
To prepare for the gender roundtable, individuals and organizations who had submitted session proposals for the Forum related to gender issues and some other stakeholders have been invited to form a small group on each of the above five themes. Each group is expected to discuss internally and prepare a 2-page brief to inform discussion at the gender roundtable. The briefs will highlight the main challenges faced by women in the five specific thematic situations identified above as well as the potential solutions and good practices to overcome those challenges. All received briefs will be posted on the UN Working Group’s gender project webpage.

Session objectives:
  1. Raise sensitivity amongst all stakeholders about the key challenges faced by women in business-related contexts.
  2. Identify potential solutions as well as best practices concerning these challenges.
  3. Inform the UN Working Group’s proposed gender guidance on how to “protect, respect and remedy” the rights of women in a business context in line with the UNGPs.
 
Background to the discussion:
Women (including girls) experience business-related human rights abuses in unique ways and are often affected disproportionately. Women also face multiple forms of discrimination and experience additional barriers in seeking access to effective remedies for business-related human rights abuses. Therefore, in order to effectively meet their respective human rights duties and responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), States and business enterprises need to be sensitive to the unique experiences of women and the structural discrimination or barriers that they face.
In order to assist States and business enterprises in achieving this goal, the UN Working Group is developing gender guidance to the UNGPs. This guidance will provide practical recommendations for what it means to “protect, respect and remedy” the rights of women in a business context in line with the UNGPs. The gender guidance to the UNGPs, which will cover all three pillars, will be the theme of report of the Working Group to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2019. Further information about this project is available at: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/GenderLens.aspx

Session format:
The gender roundtable will be organised as follows:
- Introductory remarks by the Surya Deva, Vice-Chair, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (5 minutes)
- Sharing of briefs developed by five thematic groups (6 minutes for each group)
- Each group will organise a “gender café” to brainstorm further issues around the given theme with other participants (45 minutes)
- Break (20 minutes)
- Reflections from gender cafés (40 minutes)
- Open discussion facilitated by the moderator (40 minutes)

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Surya Deva

Surya Deva

Vice-Chair, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
avatar for Irene Ekonga

Irene Ekonga

Grants Manager and Program Coordinator, Uganda Women Lawyers Association
10 years experience working on gender equality, women and children's rights, transitional justice, access to justice, business and human rights.
avatar for Harpreet Kaur

Harpreet Kaur

UNDP - Asia Pacific
Harpreet Kaur is a Business and Human Rights Specialist at the UNDP’s Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific, where she oversees a regional project aiming at promoting responsible business practices through partnerships in Asia. She provides technical and advisory support to governments... Read More →
avatar for Michelle Lau-Burke

Michelle Lau-Burke

Manager, Business & Human Rights, The B Team
WO

Winfred O. Lichuma

Advocate and Gender Specialist, EBS
avatar for Hassan Maalim

Hassan Maalim

CED, Zonal Construction and Handling Services Co Ltd
SM

Susan Mathew

Human Rights Officer, Right to Development Division, OHCHR
avatar for Irit Tamir

Irit Tamir

Director, Private Sector Department, Oxfam
avatar for David Wofford

David Wofford

Vice President, Meridian Group
I work on women’s and worker health in supply chains low- and middle income countries and develop/promote gender responsive policies and practices that improve worker wellbeing and business performance.
avatar for Gunhild Ørstavik

Gunhild Ørstavik

Advisor, FOKUS Forum for Women and Development

Speakers
avatar for Andrea Giannetto

Andrea Giannetto

President, IDA Initiative for the Development of Africa
Andrea Giannetto IDA President.IDA (Initiative for the Development of Africa) is an NGO that promote, through business and cultural activities, the principles of a better world and contributes, through international cooperation, to the development of the African Continent.
avatar for Anna Gollub

Anna Gollub

Policy Analyst, UN WOMEN
Anna is the Economic Institutions Policy Analyst in the Economic Empowerment Section of the Policy Division at UN Women in New York. She specializes in economic institutions in relation to gender equality in employment and entrepreneurship. She leads the design and operationalization... Read More →
avatar for Matti Kohonen

Matti Kohonen

Principal Advisor, Private Sector, Christian Aid
Matti Kohonen works at Christian Aid as the Principal Advisor on the role of the private sector Private Sector, working to ensure that the private sector is a responsible and accountable actor in global development.He holds a PhD in Sociology from the London School of Economics and... Read More →
avatar for Joanna Bourke Martignoni

Joanna Bourke Martignoni

Senior Research Fellow, Geneva Graduate Institute
avatar for Virginia Munyua

Virginia Munyua

Regional Project Manager, Decent Work for Women Programme, Hivos
avatar for Cynthia Trigo Paz

Cynthia Trigo Paz

Human Rights Senior Advisor, TOTAL
As a social and human rights expert I advise Total on assessing and addressing human rights risks and impacts associated to its operations and business relations.
avatar for Juliana Ramalho

Juliana Ramalho

Sócia, Mattos Filho advogados
Juliana is a highly-regarded lawyer in the field of nonprofit organisations and business and human rights in Brazil. Juliana have been advising nonprofit organizations and social enterprises for the past 15 years in corporate and tax matters. In addition, she also advises companies... Read More →
CS

Callie Strickland

Programme Associate, Gender Equality, B Team
avatar for Ioana Tuta

Ioana Tuta

Advisor, The Danish Institute for Human Rights
Responsible for the communications strategy of the Voluntary Principles, as well as planning and delivering events.  
avatar for Teresa Vernaglia

Teresa Vernaglia

CEO, BRK Ambiental
For more than 25 years, Teresa Vernaglia has held leadership positions in multinational companies, in the area of telecommunication and energy infrastructure, acquiring experience in the segment during its universalization process.In May 2017, she became CEO of BRK Ambiental, the... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 3:00pm - 4:20pm CET
Room XX

3:15pm CET

Snapshot: The use of the Universal Period Review (UPR) mechanism as a tool to prevent Business related human rights abuses
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation:
When issues of resettlement or recognition of land rights are not properly managed in the context large scale infrastructure or extractives projects, this may trigger violence and abuses of individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples.
The UPR provides an international mechanism for indigenous organizations and civil society organizations to raise awareness of such impacts. They have been using UPR as a tool to raise concerns with third countries on the impact of human rights abuses caused by investments and trade, and to influence policy makers in order to improve regulatory and monitoring frameworks (with civil society participation).

Presentation objectives:
The presentation will showcase of how UPR can positively contribute to the development of national plans on business and human rights possibly leading to concrete policy and legal developments to prevent future human rights abuses. The presenters will also discuss what avenues may be taken in order to balance the legitimate right of the State to promote investment projects of national interest with the conservation of ecosystems and the respect of human rights of indigenous peoples. This includes their right to participate in the whole investment project cycle, in line with the requirement set out in the UN Guiding Principles and other international human rights instruments.

Speakers
AL

Adolfo López

Human Rights Defender, COICA (Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica)


Tuesday November 27, 2018 3:15pm - 3:30pm CET
Room XXIV

3:30pm CET

Snapshot: New insights? When causation, contribution, and direct link overlap: UNGP implementation in “complex complicity” scenarios
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation: 
Determining whether companies cause, contribute, or are directly linked to rights violations is key to identifying their duties, as well as to shaping their response to potential or actual human rights impact. Nevertheless, this task can be challenging in scenarios where multiple sources of impact overlap, interact, and transform one another. Such is the case of the Suape Industrial Portuary Complex (Brazil): it concentrates over one hundred companies in a region inhabited by traditional communities, who report serious human rights violations stemming from the Complex’s expansion.

Presentation objectives:
The presentation will draw on the Suape case to discuss the many facets of complicity with human rights violations in complex environments.
 

Speakers
avatar for Joana Nabuco

Joana Nabuco

Officer of Development and Socio-Environmental Rights Program, Conectas Human Rights


Tuesday November 27, 2018 3:30pm - 3:45pm CET
Room XXIV

3:45pm CET

Snapshot: Corporate responsibility to respect human rights in situations of occupation
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation:
Areas affected by armed conflict or under occupation pose unique challenges for companies operating or wishing to operate there. In addition to international human rights law, companies must consider and respect the rules of international humanitarian law. The UN Guiding Principles make this clear by stating that companies have a responsibility to respect standards of international humanitarian law in situations of armed conflict. This includes standards designed to safeguard people living in occupied territory (the protected people under the law of occupation).  In situations of armed conflict and occupation, the risks of gross human rights abuses is heightened, and companies must be particularly careful not to exacerbate these risks. They must also be alert to the risk of contributing to or benefitting from illegal acts, such as the unlawful appropriation of land and natural resources of the occupied territory.

Presentation objectives:
The purpose of Amnesty’s snapshot presentation will be to discuss the implications of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights in situations of occupation. Examples will be used to illustrate the challenges and impact on people’s lives. Innovative ways for States and the UN to ensure both act in line with their respective international law duties and responsibilities in these situations will also be discussed.


Speakers
avatar for Gabriela Quijano

Gabriela Quijano

Legal Adviser, Business and Human Rights, Amnesty International - International Secretariat


Tuesday November 27, 2018 3:45pm - 4:00pm CET
Room XXIV

4:15pm CET

Snapshot: NHRIs and Business: Working Together to Advance Human Rights
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation: 
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) promote, protect and advance human rights for every person in every aspect of their lives. We hold Governments to account for their human rights obligations, and help to embed human rights principles into the foundations of services, organisations and institutions to create a society where no one is left behind.
 
Presentation objectives: 
Discussing the potential for better partnerships between businesses and NHRIs in order to implement rights based approaches that create change and drive inclusion of marginalised groups, including the LGBTI community.  


Speakers
DI

David Isaac

Chair Equality and Human Rights Commission, Chair of Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, The Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions


Tuesday November 27, 2018 4:15pm - 4:30pm CET
Room XXIV

4:30pm CET

Snapshot: Children’s Rights and Business Atlas: Harnessing the power of data in risk and impact assessments.
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation:
Business impacts children everywhere. Children interact daily with the private sector – as family members of workers, employees, consumers, and community members affected by operations and supply chains. The Children’s Rights and Business Atlas is an online tool that uses a wide range of data analysis and manipulation to help transform this interaction and help businesses, investors and industry organizations understand how their actions impact children’s rights globally.

Presentation objectives: 

To discuss how the Children’s Rights and Business Atlas provides a quantitative assessment of children’s rights across 195 countries and territories to offer a comprehensive understanding of how actions impact children’s rights, and the degree to which children’s rights are respected, across the globe in the Workplace, at the Marketplace, and within the Community and Environment. The Atlas harnesses the power of data to bring pragmatic and user-friendly insight into the complex narrative of children’s’ rights, helping provide risk and impact assessment. The Atlas is designed to help business, government and industry stakeholders better understand their impact on children through the use of publicly available country data, industry analysis and practical guidance.

Speakers
avatar for Martin Hallberg

Martin Hallberg

Children’s rights and business atlas manager, Global Child Forum
Sustainability and development professional driven by all things that make us human, such as connection, laughter, movement and learning for example. As the Global Child Forum’s Children’s Rights and Business Atlas Manager, I work with businesses and strategic partners in order... Read More →
avatar for Beth Verhey

Beth Verhey

Senior Advisor, Children’s Rights and Business, UNICEF
I am Senior Advisor on Children's Rights and Business with UNICEF.Talk to me about Integrating children's and human rights in business due diligence.And our new global data platform for business risk and impact analysis - https://www.childrensrightsatlas.org/country-data/workplac... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 4:30pm - 4:45pm CET
Room XXIV

4:40pm CET

Developing a gender lens to business and human rights
http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/forum-on-business-and-human-rights/watch/panel-ii-developing-a-gender-lens-forum-on-business-and-human-rights-2018/5972479212001/?term=

Organized by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights 

Brief description of the session: 
Against this background, this session – framed as a “gender roundtable” – will discuss major challenges faced by women in business-related contexts and explore potential solutions as well as good practices to address these challenges. The roundtable will focus on the following five thematic areas:
  • Sexual harassment and sexual violence against women
  • Gender sensitive human rights due diligence
  • Economic inclusion and empowerment of women
  • Impact of trade, investment and tax regimes on women
  • Women’s experiences of accessing effective remedies and defending rights
To prepare for the gender roundtable, individuals and organizations who had submitted session proposals for the Forum related to gender issues and some other stakeholders have been invited to form a small group on each of the above five themes. Each group is expected to discuss internally and prepare a 2-page brief to inform discussion at the gender roundtable. The briefs will highlight the main challenges faced by women in the five specific thematic situations identified above as well as the potential solutions and good practices to overcome those challenges. All received briefs will be posted on the UN Working Group’s gender project webpage.

Session objectives:
  1. Raise sensitivity amongst all stakeholders about the key challenges faced by women in business-related contexts.
  2. Identify potential solutions as well as best practices concerning these challenges.
  3. Inform the UN Working Group’s proposed gender guidance on how to “protect, respect and remedy” the rights of women in a business context in line with the UNGPs.
 
Background to the discussion:
Women (including girls) experience business-related human rights abuses in unique ways and are often affected disproportionately. Women also face multiple forms of discrimination and experience additional barriers in seeking access to effective remedies for business-related human rights abuses. Therefore, in order to effectively meet their respective human rights duties and responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), States and business enterprises need to be sensitive to the unique experiences of women and the structural discrimination or barriers that they face.
In order to assist States and business enterprises in achieving this goal, the UN Working Group is developing gender guidance to the UNGPs. This guidance will provide practical recommendations for what it means to “protect, respect and remedy” the rights of women in a business context in line with the UNGPs. The gender guidance to the UNGPs, which will cover all three pillars, will be the theme of report of the Working Group to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2019. Further information about this project is available at: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/GenderLens.aspx

Session format:
The gender roundtable will be organised as follows:
- Introductory remarks by the Surya Deva, Vice-Chair, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (5 minutes)
- Sharing of briefs developed by five thematic groups (6 minutes for each group)
- Each group will organise a “gender café” to brainstorm further issues around the given theme with other participants (45 minutes)
- Break (20 minutes)
- Reflections from gender cafés (40 minutes)
- Open discussion facilitated by the moderator (40 minutes)

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Surya Deva

Surya Deva

Vice-Chair, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
SM

Susan Mathew

Human Rights Officer, Right to Development Division, OHCHR
avatar for Irit Tamir

Irit Tamir

Director, Private Sector Department, Oxfam

Speakers
avatar for Salome Atieno

Salome Atieno

Executive Director, Haki Mashinani Kenya
Salome Odero is an advocate in Kenya. She has experience on access to justice, democracy and governance, access to remedies, providing pro bono services and is a human rights defender.
avatar for Jesse Coleman

Jesse Coleman

Senior Legal Researcher, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, Columbia University
Jesse Coleman is a Senior Legal Researcher at the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI). She joined CCSI in 2015, and focuses on the nexus of international investment and human rights law; investment law and policy; and sustainable investments in land, agriculture, and... Read More →
SC

Sean Cornelissen

Policy Officer, Natural Resources Policy,, Global Affairs Canada
Natural resources policy, mining, OECD Due Diligence on Mineral Supply Chains, Voluntary Principles, Kimberley Process
avatar for Mary Kambo

Mary Kambo

Programme Advisor on Labour & Business and Human Rights, Kenya Human Rights Commission
With specialist knowledge on labour rights at the national, regional and international levels; having engaged in labour rights work for more than 10 years now.
SK

Sarah Knuckey

Columbia Law School Human Rights Clinic
FP

Francine Picard

Associate, International Institute for Sustainable Development
EU

Elizabeth Umlas

Lecturer, University of Fribourg
decent work and supply chainliving wageteaching BHRbenefit corporations


Tuesday November 27, 2018 4:40pm - 6:00pm CET
Room XX

4:40pm CET

Government responses to modern slavery and child labour in supply chains
Interpretation is provided in English and French.

Session organized by the  Alliance 8.7 Secretariat and its Action Group on Supply Chains.

Topic and focus of the session:
The challenge of ending child labour and forced labour remains formidable with 152 million children around the world in child labour and 25 million people in forced labour. A significant number of victims are working in supply chains.

As the leading global partnership to end child labour and forced labour, Alliance 8.7 will use its unique convening power to bring to the Forum testimonies from three countries and the OSCE. These will show how governments have joined forces with other partners (business membership and employers’ organizations, trade unions, companies, civil society organizations, UN organizations and entities) to strengthen due diligence and the coordination of their efforts.

Session objectives:
  1. Share good experiences of Governments and businesses collaboration on the implementation of measures aimed at incentivizing or enabling businesses to engage in due diligence on child labour and forced labour in supply chains;
  2. Exchange insights on persisting challenges to be addressed, including on closing knowledge gaps and measuring impact of efforts;
  3. Provide examples on how Alliance 8.7 can accelerate the results of their efforts under the 2030 Agenda. 

Format of the session:
Introductory statements followed by interactive dialogue with the audience

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
BA

Beate Andrees

Chief Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch, ILO

Speakers
avatar for Iona Ebben

Iona Ebben

Senior Policy Officer Business & Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
PH

Peter Hall

Adviser, Business & Human Rights/Responsible Business Conduct, International Organization of Employers
MM

Maurice Middleberg

Executive Director, Free the Slaves
avatar for Valiant Richey

Valiant Richey

Deputy Co-ordinator and Officer in Charge, Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, OSCE
Supply chains and public procurement.
avatar for Makbule Sahan

Makbule Sahan

Legal Director, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
Makbule is leading the ITUC’s work on international labour standards and human rights mechanisms, litigation in regional and national courts, business and human rights, labour law and the ITUC Global Rights Index.
avatar for Hyacinth Hermann TANDRA

Hyacinth Hermann TANDRA

Director General for Labour and Social Law, Ministry of Civil Service, Administrative Reform, Labour, Employment and Social Laws, Madagascar


Tuesday November 27, 2018 4:40pm - 6:00pm CET
Room XVII

4:45pm CET

Snapshot: Economic evidence for civic rights protection
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Description of the presentation:
This “snapshot” presentation will outline the economic argument for why business should be concerned about the global crackdown on civic rights and civil society. In October, The B Team released The Business Case for Protecting Civic Rights, to examine the economic impact of respect for civic rights and civic space. The Business Case for Protecting Civic Rights utilises data from the Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem) to augment the business case for action and explore how a better business environment is linked to greater civic rights and freedoms.

Presentation objectives: 
We plan to speak alongside a company representative that can explain why the protection of civic rights is important to their business operations and their commitment to the UN Guiding Principles

Speakers
avatar for Annabel Lee Hogg

Annabel Lee Hogg

Cause Strategist, Governance and Human Rights, The B Team
Dibanhi Andrade tiene 21 años y es estudiante de la Licenciatura en Derecho y Función Pública. Actualmente es la Representante del Comisionado de Formación Integral en la FEUDEM. Durante su estancia en la UDEM ha formado parte de diversos grupos estudiantiles dentro del Centro... Read More →
avatar for Michael Karimian

Michael Karimian

Senior Manager, Human Rights, Microsoft


Tuesday November 27, 2018 4:45pm - 5:00pm CET
Room XXIV

5:15pm CET

Snapshot: Experiences from practice - Effective multi-stakeholder models working against child labour
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation:
The session will showcase an effective multi-stakeholder model (i.e. the “La Máquina Model”), working against child labour and offer both a government and a rights-holder perspective. The model, which has been developed and run in close collaboration with the Government of Guatemala, the ECLT Foundation, NGO partner DNI Costa Rica, local communities and private sector partners, not only focuses on schools and job skills but also provides child labour training for key local actors, like community leaders, teachers and technicians from companies that work with farmers, for a sustainable way to address child labour gaps in agricultural supply chains and promote decent youth employment.

Presentation objectives:
Ms. Rodriguez will speak briefly on the challenges she faces accessing education in her rural community, the importance of the model for her and her fellow participants.
Ms. Ochoa will give a short overview of the work, successes and challenges of the Ministry of Labour in the Eradication of Child Labour, specifically, the advances made as a country, including the “La Maquina Model” and the importance of building a replicable model in two departments of Guatemala. The replica aims to continue promoting education, ignite economic development and reduce migration in communities living in extreme poverty in Guatemala.

Speakers
avatar for Marta Lidia Lima

Marta Lidia Lima

former child labourer and participant in youth employment promotion model, Student
GO

Glenda Ochoa

Director of Social Welfare, Ministry of Labour of Guatemala


Tuesday November 27, 2018 5:15pm - 5:30pm CET
Room XXIV

5:30pm CET

Snapshot: The impact of extractive activities in Honduras on the rights of indigenous peoples
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation: 
Extractive activities, such as mining projects in Honduras, have affected collective and individual rights of indigenous peoples, such as their right to prior, free and informed consent, the right to water, their access to, use and control over land, and have negatively impacted on the enjoyment of a healthy environment. In this context, the human rights impacts on indigenous communities have received little attention from the government as well as from transnational enterprises involved, while human rights defenders rasing critical voices have been facing increased risks.

Objectives of the presentation: 
Against the backdrop of these challenges, the presentation will feature a civil society perspective on what would be effective measures by government, transnational corporations, other business and investors to meet the requirements set out in the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in such a context. It will also offer the opportunity to explore existing avenues for improvement, including through meaningful participation of affected communities in decisions affecting their rights, as well as in the context of the possible development of a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.

Speakers
avatar for José Ramiro Lara

José Ramiro Lara

Coordinador de Proyecto, Association of Non-Governmental Organizations ASONOG


Tuesday November 27, 2018 5:30pm - 5:45pm CET
Room XXIV

6:00pm CET

Snapshot: The implications of Indigenous Peoples’ FPIC Protocols and Policies for business respect for human rights
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation:
Initial experiences of a growing number of indigenous communities in jurisdictions throughout the world suggests that formalizing their own engagement rules and procedures, in the form of consultation and free prior and informed consent (FPIC) protocols, policies, templates or guidelines, can be an effective way for indigenous peoples to ensure that business activities in or near their territories only proceed in a manner that respects their rights. These living documents provide companies, financial institutions and other actors seeking to operate in or near the territories of indigenous peoples with context specific indigenous-rights-based principles, rules and frameworks within which they should operate when seeking indigenous peoples’ consent.

Presentation objectives:
The speakers will address a research project involving European Network on Indigenous Peoples members from Middlesex University London School of Law, Forest Peoples Programme and INFOE that seeks to build on these experiences and contribute to the empowerment of indigenous peoples to assert their right to self-determined development by consolidating, exploring and sharing these evolving approaches and the associated lessons and resources. The Embera Chami in the Resguardo Indigena de Canamomo y Lomoprieta in Colombia are indigenous peoples who have developed consultation and consent protocols regulating natural resource governance in their territories. A former governor of this Resguardo will address their experience and the importance of company and State adherence to their protocols to guarantee business respect for their collective land, cultural and self-governance rights.

Speakers
avatar for Cathal Doyle

Cathal Doyle

Research Fellow, Middlesex University London School of Law
Research fellow at Middlesex University London School of Law and member of the European Network on Indigenous Issues (ENIP)
avatar for Hector Jaime Vinasco

Hector Jaime Vinasco

exGovernor and Coordinator of Natural Resources and Mining Program, Resguardo Indigena de Canamomo y Lomoprieta, Consejo de Gobierno Indígena


Tuesday November 27, 2018 6:00pm - 6:15pm CET
Room XXIV

6:15pm CET

Snapshot: Upholding the right to participate in environmental matters for affected communities: Mexico’s Supreme Court ruling in the Sonora case
Interpretation is provided in English and Spanish

Brief description of the presentation:
This session aims to present briefly the Sonora case and related recent decision by the Mexican Supreme Court in September 2018. On 6 August 2014, 40 million liters of copper sulphate were spilled by Buenavista del Cobre, property of Grupo Mexico, into the Bácanuchi and Sonora rivers, impacting on the access to clean water, health and livelihoods of almost 25,000 people along the río Sonora watershed. Since 2014, affected peoples and communities have been seeking justice, integral remediation and guarantees of non-repetition. In the last four years, several irregularities have been committed by both the authorities and the company, including the beginning of the expansion of the mine. In September 2018, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled in favor of the community of Bacanuchi regarding the lack of consultation before granting the permits for such expansion, thus re-affirming the constitutional right to participate in environmental matters by affected communities.

Presentation objectives:
A representative of affected communities will share her testimony, and PODER will share more information on the case and the potential this ruling has in advancing the fulfilment of the right to participation in the context of business activities in Mexico and internationally.

Speakers
avatar for Benjamin Cokelet

Benjamin Cokelet

Founder & Co-Executive Director, PODER
avatar for Ivette Gonzalez

Ivette Gonzalez

Strategic Engagement Senior Associate, PODER (México)
Ivette Gonzalez is an Strategic Engagement Senior Associate at the Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER). She co-coordinates the Civil Society Focal Group on Business and Human Rights in Mexico. Currently, Ms. González coordinates at PODER a project on... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 6:15pm - 6:30pm CET
Room XXIV

6:15pm CET

Human Rights and Business Award – Human rights defenders in the Global South
Organized by the Human Rights and Business Award Foundation

Short description of the session: 
At this session the first annual Human Rights and Business Award will be presented to an NGO, “for outstanding work by human rights defenders in the Global South or former Soviet Union addressing the human rights impacts of business”.  The award will be accompanied by a grant of US$50,000.  This session will not be ceremonial – instead, it will be an interactive learning and discussion opportunity, linking the particular experiences of the award recipient and the lessons learned through those experiences to the Forum’s priority issues including human rights due diligence, sector-focused challenges, and the UN Guiding Principles.

Session objectives: 
  • Identification of human rights abuses that need to be addressed by civil society, business and governments – and steps that need to be taken to avoid recurrence of those abuses
  • Identification of good practices by human rights defenders, business and governments
  • Identification of “due diligence” good practice and opportunities
  • Identification of opportunities for increased constructive direct engagement between companies and NGOs and between governments and NGOs
  • Identification of opportunities for more effective implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Key discussion questions 
  • What have been your organization’s greatest challenges, and greatest successes, in addressing the human rights impacts of business in your country?  What have you learned from the experience that could be useful to other NGOs, and to businesses and governments?
  • A central theme of this UN Forum is human rights due diligence by companies.  What practical advice would you give to an international company coming into your country and wanting to respect human rights, implement the UN Guiding Principles and assess the risks?
  • Do you have any practical suggestions for increasing constructive direct engagement between companies and NGOs in your country?
  • Your NGO has been addressing specific human rights impacts by business.  When you step back and look at the broader landscape in your country, what steps can civil society, companies and government take in the future to promote good human rights practices by business?

Discussants who will help activate the broader discussion with brief contributions include:
  • Justiça nos Trilhos has just been named the recipient of the first annual Human Rights and Business Award, which will be presented at this session.
    Justiça nos Trilhos is a human rights NGO working with more than 100 communities in rural regions of Brazil to address widespread abuses by mining companies, and to defend the rights of local people including indigenous communities. The abuses include damage to health and livelihoods, displacement of communities, violence, and decimation of the cultures and lives of indigenous peoples. The human rights defenders of Justiça nos Trilhos, and the local communities they work with, have suffered persecution, surveillance and retaliatory lawsuits.
  • Lea Rankinen of S Group, a Finnish network of companies operating in the retail and service sectors. When human rights defender Andy Hall documented forced labor by one of S Group’s suppliers in Thailand, and when that supplier filed a court case against Andy Hall, S Group first tried to convince their supplier company to have an open dialogue with stakeholders and to cooperate with external auditors, and when the supplier refused S Group stopped working with them.  But S Group went further – it considered what was the necessary level of due diligence to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, then decided to travel to Thailand to testify in support of human rights defender Andy Hall, and after he was convicted, raised his case at the European Parliament and at the United Nations.  Lea said: “Human rights defenders are the ones doing this work on the ground level...if they can’t raise questions, then how can anyone in the society?”  For further information, see “In-depth interview with Lea Rankinen of S Group: ‘If suppliers think they can sue human rights defenders who will audit or investigate them, this will jeopardize our responsible sourcing’", Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Jan 2017.
  • Anita Ramasastry, Member of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, will highlight the Working Group’s new guidance document on human rights defenders being launched soon: guidance for governments and business on action to safeguard and support human rights defenders in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.


Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Alexandra Montgomery

Alexandra Montgomery

Member of the Advisory Network, Human Rights and Business Award Foundation
Alexandra is Program Director for Brazil, Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)Alexandra holds an LL.M. Degree specializing in Human Rights from American University - Washington College of Law and has worked for the past 14 years in many civil society organizations in Brazil... Read More →
avatar for Valeria Scorza

Valeria Scorza

Vice Chair. Program Director of Fundación Avina, Human Rights and Business Award Foundation
Valeria holds a degree in political science and public administration from Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico) and a master’s degree in international relations with a concentration in human rights from Columbia University. She has worked at international human rights organizations... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Christopher Avery

Christopher Avery

Chair of the foundation's board, Human Rights and Business Award Foundation
Chris was Founding Director (2002-2013) of Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, and before that worked at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International as Legal Adviser and Deputy Head of the Research Department. He will co-moderate a Forum session (27 Nov, 18:15-19:45... Read More →
avatar for Danilo Chammas

Danilo Chammas

Lawyer, Justiça nos Trilhos
Danilo Chammas is a lawyer and human rights defender who lives in Maranhão, a state of dense Amazon rainforest in northeastern Brazil. He coordinates the legal team of Justiça nos Trilhos (Justice on the Rails), which works to defend the human rights of those impacted by mining... Read More →
avatar for Anita Ramasastry

Anita Ramasastry

Member, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Ms. Anita Ramasastry is the Roland L. Hjorth Professor of Law and the Director of the Graduate Program in Sustainable International Development at the University of Washington School Of Law. She researches and teaches in the fields of law and development, anti-corruption, international... Read More →
avatar for Lea Rankinen

Lea Rankinen

SVP Sustainability, SOK Corporation


Tuesday November 27, 2018 6:15pm - 7:45pm CET
Room XX

6:15pm CET

Special film screening: The Price of Free
Organized by the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and Participant Media

Short description of the session:
Join us for a special screening of THE PRICE OF FREE.
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, THE PRICE OF FREE is a suspenseful yet intimate look at one man’s groundbreaking struggle to liberate every child possible from slavery. From director Derek Doneen and Oscar winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth,” “He Named Me Malala”), the film follows Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and his team of leaders around the world through gripping secret raids and quests for missing children in the hopes of ending the cycle of poverty that forces them and their families into dreadful circumstances. Refusing to be daunted by the impossible, they have succeeded in rescuing over 87,000 children and created a global movement which has resulted in legislation which helps protect young children. The film was co-produced by Concordia Studio and Participant Media, and will be released by YouTube Originals.

Session objectives:
  • Illuminate the persistence of child labor, hidden in supply chains
  • Discuss the role of business in child labor and slavery in supply chains
  • Describe the film’s social impact campaign and how companies in the room can screen this film for their employees, leaders and partners.

Key discussion questions:
  • What can the private sector do to help solve this problem?

Background to the discussion:
The film will be launched globally on November 27th by YouTube Originals.
The Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation and Participant Media (in partnership with YouTube and Concordia Studio) will empower students, policymakers, and business leaders to take action toward a future that is child-labor free. The campaign will provide audiences across the U.S. and around the world with an opportunity to understand and reflect on how many of the products we use in our daily lives — from our coffee, to our clothes, to our mobile devices — could include the work of children. The campaign will provide pathways for audiences to invest, advocate and lead change.
Recognizing the key role that business plays in eliminating forced and child labor, Participant Media is offering the film to companies with global supply chains, so that they might screen for their employees, leadership, customers or shareholders. Companies may choose a date between October 2018 and April 2019 to screen all or a portion of the film and use the event as an opportunity to spark a conversation about improving supply chain practices. Participant Media will provide tools for hosting a successful screening event.

Moderator/ Introductory Remark...
avatar for Amanda Chen

Amanda Chen

VP, Social Impact, Participant Media
As VP of Social Impact, Amanda is responsible for the design and successful execution of social impact campaigns for Participant Media's documentary and narrative media slate. Amanda works to build strategic partnerships with non-profits, government and private sector organizations... Read More →


Tuesday November 27, 2018 6:15pm - 8:00pm CET
Room XVII
 


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