Weekly Update - 30 November 2016

• gender is a key factor to integrate into companies’ & governments’ consultations with and protection of defenders
• we share the testimonies of women defenders featured in Guardian video & some key cases from 2016 that illustrate challenges faced by these defenders

Irene Pietropaoli, Consultant on business and human rights, based in Myanmar

• Seafood exporters lawsuit (re human trafficking in Thailand)
• Betagro & Thammakaset lawsuit (re labour exploitation in Thailand)

Corporate Accountability Research

• with 10 in-depth case studies from Asia; 5 reports analysing specific intl. mechanisms; recommendations for Australia, UK Govts.; civil society guide

Ceres

Deutsche Welle

In These Times (USA)

Bench Marks Foundation

• we invited Anglo American to respond - response provided

Guardian (UK); Energy Desk

Standard Digital (Kenya)

The Local (Sweden)

• Opposition to oil pipeline in US serves as example for indigenous struggles in Latin America

Associated Press; Los Angeles Times (USA)

Wagingnonviolence.org

• Report accuses Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety of endorsing garment factories despite safety concerns, Alliance disputes findings 
• Tazreen factory fire - 4 years on, justice for victims & their families "only half done", Clean Clothes Campaign reports

AFP

Al Jazeera; New York Times

• company says it has not yet made decisions on its approach into China

Chuncheng Evening News; South China Morning Post

• some workers say they are beaten if they "misbehave", others are children under 16

Japan Times

• migrant rights NGO says ranking shows companies see trainees as cheap labourers

Independent

• European Coalition for Corporate Justice says it "overlooks human rights risks of corporate activity"; also with commentary by SDG Watch Europe

The Cotton Campaign

Independent (UK)

UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

• MA in Children's Rights, including child labour (apply by 1 Dec, Sion/Geneva)
• "Law, Justice and Development Week 2016" (5-9 Dec, Washington DC)
• Twitter chat on forced labour & the fashion industry (5 Dec, online)
• breakfast briefing: corruption & transparency in Cambodian Govt. (7 Dec, London)
• book launch of "Business and Human Rights: History, Law and Policy – Bridging the Accountability Gap" (7 Dec, London)
• panel discussion on big business & farming sector in Africa (7 Dec, London)
• webinar: risks of modern slavery in the ICT sector (7 Dec, online)
• understanding legal implications of UK Modern Slavery Act (8 Dec, Birmingham)

• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (Development Manager, Europe)
• Global Witness (Chinese Communications Advisor)
• Impactt Limited (Project Team Intern)
• Intl. Finance Corp. (Research Analyst)
• Urgent Action Fund-Africa (2 posts; Communications & Knowledge Management Programme Officer; Partnerships & Development Manager)