Dear GNHRE Members

 

As you may know, an open-ended intergovernmental working group (OEIGWG) on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights – established by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014 – is currently negotiating an international legally binding instrument: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/WGTransCorp/Pages/IGWGOnTNC.aspx The fourth session of the OEIGWG is scheduled for 15-19 October 2018 to discuss a zero draft of the proposed instrument as well as its optional protocol.

 

I along with a few other scholars have drafted an open letter to states. Please see the attached letter. It makes three points: (i) that an international legally binding instrument is needed to complement existing regulatory initiatives at national, regional and international levels; (ii) that the zero draft of the proposed instrument as well as the optional protocol provides a concrete basis for states to negotiate in good faith; and (iii) that there is sufficient legal basis to hold further sessions (including the Fourth Session) without a new resolution of the Human Rights Council.

 

We are inviting scholars from all the over world to join this open letter to states to be released on Monday, 1 October 2018. If you would like to sign the letter, please send an email to me – mentioning your name and your institutional affiliation – latest by Friday, 28 September.

 

Kindly do not publish or post the letter before 1 October. You may though circulate within your networks to collect signatures.  

 

Apologies in advance for cross-posting.

 

Best

Surya

 

-------------------------------
Surya Deva

Associate Professor

School of Law, City University of Hong Kong
83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel.: (852) 3442 7370
Fax: (852) 3442 0190

Skype: surya.deva

Twitter: @ProfSuryaDeva

 

Building a Treaty on Business and Human Rights: Context and Contours

Human Rights Obligations of Business: Beyond the Corporate Responsibility to Respect?

Regulating Corporate Human Rights Violations: Humanizing Business

Some of Surya's papers are available on SSRN