19 December 2019

CNBC; China Labor Watch

• Allegations include workers living in overcrowded domitories with unsanitary facilities; suffering from exhaustion due to illegal overtime & working in unsafe conditions
• We invited Hasbro and Ravensburger to respond; responses provided
• We invited Simba Dickie Group and Schleich to respond; they did not
• Coverage includes comments from Disney, Lego, and Mattel

• How can AI amplify civic freedoms? Zach Lampell & Lily Liu, International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law
• Why policymakers need to tackle the digital gender gap, Ana Brandusescu, formerly with Web Foundation

The Intercept; The Verge

• Move follows  public pressure from Google employees to drop "Dragonfly" project 

Human Rights Watch & National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders-Kenya

Guardian (UK)

• Article includes comments from industry representatives

• Canadian regulator fines Glencore controlled company over corrupt activities in DRC 
• Barrick Gold subsidiary Acacia Mining denies it is being investigated by the UK's serious fraud office for corruption in Tanzania

Guardian (UK)

• Verdict marks first time executives of a foreign company have been convicted for crimes committed during Argentina’s dictatorship

Accountability Counsel

• Project displaced hundreds of farmers & their families and increased financial & food insecurity
• Agreement provides land, employment opportunities, agricultural equipment, training and support for micro-enterprise

HuffPost Canada

Fair Trade Certified; International Labour Rights Forum

• Fair Trade USA decertified Fyffes’ Suragroh melon farm for violating standards on wage & benefits, worker health & safety, and freedom of association
• We invited Fyffes to respond, response provided

Global Witness

New York Times; Badger Sport; Associated Press

• Article includes company comments

Eco-Business

• Greenpeace called the commitment a "potential breakthrough" & said it would monitor the company's progress 

Mongabay

• Expert testifying on environmental degradation was sued by accused governor during case on illegal issuing of mining permits
• Ruling judge emphasised need to protect expert witnesses from backlash 

Khmer Times

MiningWatch Canada & Institute for Policy Studies

• OceanaGold had previously responded to the NGOs' report on alleged violations at the gold & copper mine in Didipio
• We invited OceanaGold to repond to the rejoinder; it declined

Guardian (UK)

Radio Free Europe/Radio Free Liberty

• Journalist had brought charges against her former boss at Imedi TV

Local Germany; Deutsche Welle

• German Institute for Human Rights has reported that foreign workers are often underpaid, hired without formal contracts or pushed to work unpaid overtime

Jordan Times

• Under 2016 deal Jordan manufacturers can import up to 70% of raw materials & qualify for trade concessions if Syrians comprise 25% of workforce
• New agreement reduces workforce requirement to 15% and will now last four extra years to 2030

Gulf Business

• 6th Winter Course on Human Rights and Asia (7-18 Jan, South Korea)

• Development Officer: Monitoring and Evaluation
• Research & Projects Intern (New York)

• Investor Alliance for Human Rights (Associate Director)
• Bangladesh Accord (Head of Workplace Programs)
• International Labour Rights Forum (Cotton Campaign Coordinator)
• Institute for Human Rights and Business (Built Environment Programme Manager)
• MSI Integrity (Human Rights Analyst)
• Center for Economic and Social Rights (Program Officer)