Organizations and social movements push for legally binding treaty on corporations and human rights at the UN

While the 32nd Session of the Council celebrated the fifth anniversary of the voluntary “Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”, social movements and organizations of the Global Campaign questioned these guidelines and highlighted the need for a legally binding treaty on the issue.

The activity was called “Challenging corporate crime and impunity: affected communities seek justice” and focused on a road-map towards the second session of the Open Ended Inter-governmental Working Group (OEIGWG) that is developing a legally binding international instrument on Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises, to take place in October. The working group also operates in the framework of the UN Human Rights Council and aims at the creation of a binding treaty on the issue.

Before this conference, on Wednesday, a Global Day of Action “Justice for Berta (Cáceres)” took place in numerous parts of the world to demand a clear investigation on the murder of the Lenca leader in Honduras, on March 3rd. Until then, she had been persecuted and threatened by DESA company, in charge of the building of the Agua Zarca Dam.

Real World Radio interviewed the facilitator of yesterday´s activity, Brid Brennan, of the Transnational Institute of The Netherlands (member of the Global Campaign). In the interview, the activist made reference to the main issues dealt with at the event, why it is necessary to reject the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights, the need for a binding treaty and the status of the negotiations for this treaty.