Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are a set of guidelines for States and companies to prevent, address and remedy human rights abuses committed in business operations. child labour
Written by Enrico D’Ambrogio
More than 70% of EU imports of textile and clothing come from Asia. Many Asian workers have to work in sweatshop conditions, but the issue appears in global media only when major fatal accidents occur, like that at Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, in 2013.
Long working hours, low wages, lack of regular contracts, and systemically hazardous conditions are often reported. Trade unions, when allowed, are unable to protect workers.
Not all Asian countries exporting textile and clothing to the EU have ratified “Fundamental” ILO conventions and their concrete application is far from the norm. UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises fix good standards of corporate social responsibility for Western brands operating in such countries, but are not binding and do not provide for sanctions if not applied. In practice, they have failed to defend workers’ rights.
A number of measures have been suggested to change this situation, including in repeated European Parliament resolutions. Such measures would require action by Asian governments, international brands and the importing countries. They include greater union rights, more regular work, brands doing more due diligence when dealing with contractors, efficient and more cooperative audits, more stable purchasing practices, making some guidelines and principles legally binding, and putting pressure on Asian authorities to have workers’ human rights better respected.
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are a set of guidelines for States and companies to prevent, address and remedy human rights abuses committed in business operations. child labour
The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are recommendations addressed by governments to multinational enterprises operating in or from adhering countries. They provide non-binding principles and standards for responsible business conduct in a global context consistent with applicable laws and internationally...
The purpose of this research is to highlight gaps in modern slavery victim support and access to justice for adults. First by developing a structured understanding on existing policies and legislation. Then, taking Hertfordshire as an example, under...Read More
This research study addresses legal issues around child online protection and the herewith related risk of becoming a victim of online sexual exploitation, in particular child pornography or online grooming. It serves as a supplementary gui...Read More
We are pleased to share a new report that captures the movements of migrant workers coming to Malaysia, based on data contributions from International Domestic Workers Federation, Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor, Migrant CARE Malaysia, Human Traff...Read More
For decades, workers, unions, students, and labour NGOs have joined together to try to hold global corporations accountable for the labour violations that have routinely taken place in their supply chains. Multi-faceted and often lengthy corporate c...Read More