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UN Perspectives on “Business and Humanitarian and Human Rights Obligations”

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2017

David Weissbrodt
David Weissbrodt*
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota Law School
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Type
Business and Humanitarian and Human Rights Obligations
Information
Proceedings of the ASIL Annual Meeting , Volume 100 , 2006 , pp. 135 - 139
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 2006

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References

1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, GA Res. 217A (III), UN Doc. A/810, at 71 (1948).

2 Id., preamble.

3 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Ga Res. 2200A (XXI), 21 UN GAOR Supp. (No. 16) at 52, UN Doc. A/6316 (1966), 999 UNTS 171, entered into force Mar. 23, 1976.

4 Id., Art. 2.

5 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, GA Res. 2106 (XX), annex, 20 UN GAOR Supp. (No. 14) at 47, UN Doc. A/6014 (1966), 660 UNTS 195, entered into force Jan. 4, 1969, Art. 2(l)(d).

6 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, GA Res. 34/180, 34 UN GAOR Supp. (No. 46) at 193, UN Doc. A/34/46, entered into force Sept. 3, 1981, Art. 2(e).

7 See Development and International Economic Cooperation: Transnational Corporations, UN Doc. E/1990/94 (1990). See also United Nations Draft International Code of Conduct on Transnational Corporations, 23 ILM 626 (1984).

8 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, 15 ILM 967 (1976). The OECD updated these guidelines in 2000. OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, Revision 2000, at <http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/56/36/1922428.pdf>.

9 International Labor Organization, Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, 17 ILM 422, para. 6 (1978), updated in 2000, at <http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/multi/index.htm>.

10 Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (Jan. 31, 1999), in UN Doc. SG/SM/6448 (1999).

11 At <http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Portal/Default.asp?>. The principles are that businesses should: (1) support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights within their sphere of influence; (2) make sure they are not complicit in human right abuses; (3) uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; (4) eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labor; (5) abolish child labor; (6) eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation; (7) support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges; (8) undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; (9) encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies; and (10) work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.

12 Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/2003/12/Rev.2 (2003).

13 CHR Res. 2005/69, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2005/L.ll/Add.7 at 68 (2005), was adopted April 20, 2005, by a vote of 49 in favor, 3 (Australia, South Africa, and the United States) against, and 1 (Burkino Faso) abstaining. The United States called for a vote and explained its vote against the resolution, http://www.humanrights-usa.net/2005/0420Iteml7Tnc.htm.

14 UN Doc. E/CN.4/2005/91 (2005).

15 CHR Res. 2005/69, supra note 13.

16 John Ruggie, Interim Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/97 (Feb. 22, 2006), at <http://www.ohchr.org/englishЉodies/chr/docs/62crır/E.Cn.4.2006.97.pdf>.

17 Id., para. 53.

18 SRSG Ruggie indicates that there are about 70,000 transnational firms, together with roughly 700,000 subsidiaries and millions of suppliers. UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/97, para. 11 (2006).

19 Id., para. 57.

20 See International Chamber of Commerce and the International Organisation of Employers, Joint Views of the IOE and ICC on the Draft Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights, UN Escor, 55th Sess., UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/2003/NGO/44 (2003), at <http://www.reports-and-materials.orgЛOe-Icc-views-Un-norms-March-2004.doc>; Mendelson, Maurice, in the Matter of the Draft “Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights,“ 2 Oil, Gas & Energy L. Intelligence (2004), cited at <http://www.gasandoil.com/ogel/authors/author_detail.asp?key=680>Google Scholar.

21 UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/97, para. 59 (2006).

22 Id., para. 69.

23 Clapham, Andrew, Human Rights Obligations of Non-State Actors 195, 225-37 (2006)Google Scholar; Backer, Larry Catá, Multinational Corporations, Transnational Law: The United Nations’ Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations as a Harbinger of Corporate Social Responsibility in International Law, 32 Colum. Hum. Rts. L. Rev. 287 (2006)Google Scholar; Kinley, David & Tadaki, Junko, Human Rights Responsibilities for Corporations at International Law, 44 Virginia J. Int’l L. 931 (2004)Google Scholar..

24 UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/97, para. 15 (2006).

25 See International Chamber of Commerce and the International Organisation of Employers, Joint Views of the IOE and ICC on the Draft Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights, UN ESCOR, 55th Sess., UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/2003/NGO/44 (2003), at <http://www.reports-and-materials.org/Ioe-Icc-views-Un-norms-March-2004.doc>.

26 UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/97, para. 66 (2006).

27 Id., para. 69.

28 Id., para. 61.

29 Id., para. 81.