Weekly Update - 10 August 2016

• NGOs say draft outcome document is a missed opportunity to address the crisis
• “The private sector, refugees and migrants: A human rights approach” – submission by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
• related: Join us in New York on 26 September: “Syrian Refugees in Supply Chains: Exploitation or Opportunity?”

(Photo credit: ILO/Tabitha Ross)

Joy Mabenge, Research & Representative for Southern & Western Anglophone Africa

Daniel Blackburn & Ciaran Cross, Intl. Centre for Trade Union Rights

• latest addition: interview with S Group on company's decision to testify on behalf of human rights defender in Thailand

• Communications (available immediately)
• Research & Projects (Oct start date)
• Legal Research (Oct start date)

• draft standard refers to corporate governance, human rights, indigenous peoples' rights, fair labour & working conditions, climate change & environment
• open for comments 1 Aug - 30 Sep

Guardian (UK)

Business Day (So. Africa)

• production reportedly resumed following safety briefing for employees

Pietro Toigo, African Natural Resource Center, in African Development Bank Group

• says solution must be global, so African institutions must “strongly influence global initiatives”

Associated Press

• we invited Siemens to respond; response provided
• also available in German & Portuguese

Metro Weekly (USA)

BBC, New York Times; Reuters

• lawyer's colleague released from detention after videotaped confession suspected to have been coerced
• China rejects criticism of crackdown on rights defenders by US Govt., EU

Amnesty Intl.; Guardian (UK); Business Standard (India)

• Minister of State for Power, Coal, New & Renewable energy and Mines denies claims
• we invited Coal India, South Eastern Coalfields, Central Coalfields & Mahanadi Coalfields to respond; they declined

Sydney Morning Herald

Virgin

Guardian (UK), Mongabay

New Haven Register (USA)

• full summary of lawsuit also provided

Guardian (UK)

• free speech groups condemn the move; company defends employee’s action

• refers to labour rights risks in Special Economic Zones, steps to address them, role of ILO's Better Work program

• legal framework & migrant worker rights in US & Canada (11 Aug, online)
• webinar: "EO100 Standard for Responsible Energy Development" (11 Aug, online)
• "Inside the ICAR Studio" speaker series: Motoko Aizawa (24 Aug, Washington DC, online)
• workshop on inequality & human rights in global South (27 Aug - 3 Sep, Colombia)
• conference on access to remedy for corporate human rights abuses (8 Sep, Brussels)

• American Jewish World Service (Consultancy, Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Bank Information Center (AIIB Program Internship)
• Global Business Initiative on Human Rights (Executive Director)
• Global Justice Now (2 posts: Campaigns & Policy Officer, Corporate Power; Policy Officer, Trade)
• UNICEF (Corporate Alliances Manager)