Weekly Update - 31 August 2016

documentation by over 100 NGOs and social movements in Mexico / compiled by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

• most frequently-occuring alleged abuses relate to land rights, access to information, right to health & environmental damage
• over half the cases involve intimidation & threats against human rights defenders or communities
• company responses to the cases included when available; we have invited additional companies to respond

Photo credit: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

• statements can be explored by sector and country of HQ in an interactive dashboard
• as first deadline for companies approaches, concerns that many statements do not meet even minimum requirements continue
• better practice: a handful of statements provide detailed information on supply chain transparency & modern slavery risks

• 80% of apparel companies, but only 45% of food & beverage companies provided detailed information when invited
• response rate by European companies highest (77%)

European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights & Medico Intl.

• includes commentaries by Paul Barrett in Bloomberg Businessweek and Michael D. Goldhaber in Law.com
• response from Amazon Watch on court decision & response from Chevron  

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment; Law 360

• lawsuit challenges Peru's decision to rescind project permit due to impacts on indigenous peoples
• tribunal accepted submissions from others including Association of Human Rights and Environment of Puno

Maka Angola; Global Voices Online

• we invited Endiama, ITM Mining, Sociedade Mineira do Cuango to respond - Sociedade Mineira do Cuango responded; Endiama, ITM Mining did not

Institute for Community Mobilization and Empowerment, Norwegian Church Aid

• we invited Mkango Resources & Nyala Mines to respond - responses provided; we will indicate in a future update whether Eland Coal Mine responds

Daily Nation (Kenya)

• Kenya National Commission on Human Rights conducts inquiry into sexual harassment & other human rights abuses, charges brought

Intercontinental Cry (Canada)

Intercontinental Cry (Canada)

Focus on the Global South, Civil Rights Defenders, Mekong Watch, FIDH, Sombath Initiative, Intl. Commission of Jurists

Press Trust of India

Glocal Research & India Committee of the Netherlands

• areas for improvement include freedom of association, benefits for casual workers, personal protection equipment
• includes response by Unilever

Sydney Morning Herald

Myanmar Times

Independent (UK)

EcoLur Network (Armenia)

• we invited Polymetal Intl. to respond - response provided

• we invited Titan Cement to respond - response provided

Guardian (UK)

• identifying & responding to child labour in supply chains (6 Sep, London)
• conference: prevention of trafficking for labour exploitation (7-8 Sep, Berlin)
• access to remedy for corporate human rights abuses (8 Sep, Brussels)
• workshop for businesses on Modern Slavery Act (12 Sep, London)
• Intl. Maritime Human Rights Conference (14 Sep, London)
• Intl. Tax Conference 2016 (15 Sep, Jakarta)

• CORE Coalition (Advocacy & Communications Manager)
• Ethical Trading Initiative (Membership Services Manager)
• OECD (Consultant, Natl. Contact Points peer reviews)
• Oxfam (Private Sector Policy Adviser, Labour Rights)
• UNICEF UK (Children's Rights & Sports Specialist)