A Defining Moment for the UN Business and Human Rights Treaty Process

Abstract

The ongoing process to negotiate a UN treaty on business and human rights has its 8th annual session this week in Geneva. Though embraced by many NGOs, this initiative has so far failed to secure widespread support amongst states with wide divergences remaining regarding the proposed instrument’s objectives and design, as well as its relationship to the UN 2011 Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, an earlier soft law instrument championed by governments, businesses and international actors. Yet there may be light on the horizon.

Keywords

• business and human rights, Corporate Due Diligence, Supply Chain, UN human rights, UN treaty