The operations of many Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises cause the devastation of livelihoods, territories and the environment of the communities where they operate; they pursue the commodification of essential services and of nature itself. Many TNCs and other business enterprises also violate or are complicit in violations of human rights and labour rights, erode the basis of food sovereignty, pollute water sources and lands, and plunder natural resources.
The Vienna+20 CSO Conference with 140 participants was held in Vienna on June 25/26 this year to commemorate the Second World Conference on Human Rights and address current challenges for human rights. This Conference called on States to urgently develop and institute binding systems of international regulation and norms for TNCs. States have the obligation to ensure, by establishing strong legal systems of accountability for violations of rights and effective remedy and justice for all affected people, including along the supply chain. The Conference strongly urged States to hold accountable those transnational actors, TNCs and other business enterprises that violate human rights. On the occasion of the recent UN regional forum on business and human rights in Medellín more than 100 CSOs from Latin America and other regions expressed the same concerns and called for a binding instrument. Likewise during a Round Table in the European Parliament in Brussels on September 5th, governments were also urgently asked for a binding instrument to address the accountability of TNCs and end their impunity.
The undersigned social movements and civil society organisations welcome and support the initiative taken by a number of States in the Human Rights Council towards establishing an international legally binding instrument, concluded within the UN system, clarifying the human rights obligations of transnational corporations, in particular in relation to human rights violations, economic and ecological crimes, and abuses, and establishing an effective mechanism to provide remedies and access to justice for all affected people in cases where such remedies are de facto not provided in domestic jurisdictions.
Signed by:
FIAN International
Transnational Institute
Center of Concern
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI)
La Via Campesina
World March of Women
World Rainforest Movement -‐ WRM
Food & Water Watch
Third World Network
CADTM International
World Forum for Alternatives
Global Social Justice
ETC Group
Transnational Migrant Platform
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Amigos da Terra America Latina e Caribe (ATALC)
Food & Water Europe
Alianza Social Continental
Focus on the Global South
Comité de Mujeres de la Alianza Social Continental
Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) – Philippines
Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) -‐ Philippines
REDES – Uruguay
Polaris Institute – Canada
Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio
Ecuador Decide
Instituto Equit – Brasil
Justiça Global – Brasil
Hegoa Instituto de Estudios sobre Desarrollo y Cooperación Internacional
Friends of the Landless -‐ Finland
ATTAC – Argentina
groundWork, Friends of the Earth -‐ South Africa
AIDC – South Africa
Trust for Community Outreach and Education – South Africa
Democratic Left Front – South Africa
ATTAC Austria
Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement
Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.”
(CSMM) – Ecuador
Entrepueblos del Estado Español
Fronteras Comunes de Canada
Ecologistas en Acción
Col·∙lectiu RETS: Respostes a les Transnacionals
War on Want Economic Justice Network of FOCCISA (Fellowship of Christian Councils of Southern Africa)
Coordinación por los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas (CODPI) del Estado español
SHALIN -‐ Finland
Latinamerikagrupperna (SAL) -‐ Suecia
Attac France
ATTAC VLAANDEREN
Comité du Forum Social Lémanique, Geneva
Consumers Association of Penang, Malaysia
Friends of the Earth Malaysia
ATTAC Portugal
Colectivo Ecologista MadreSelva -‐ Guatemala
Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) – España
Federación Unidad Ecologica Salvadoreña UNES
Amigos da Terra Brasil
Council of Canadians
Colectivo Revuelta Verde de México
Rede Brasil sobre Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais
MiningWatch Canada/Alerta Minera Canadá
Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ)
Asociacion Raxch’ och’ Oxlaju Aj (Tierra Verde 13 Aj) -‐ Guatemala
ILSA -‐ Instituto Latinoamericano por una sociedad y un derecho alternativos -‐ Colombia
Campaña de Afectadas por Repsol
Ongd AFRICANDO – España
KASAPI HELLAS – Greece
ATTAC Spain
SOMO, Centre for Research on Multinationals from the Netherlands
Organic Agriculture Association -‐ Albania
Centro Operacional de Vivienda y Poblamiento (Copevi) -‐ México
Les Amis de la Terre France
FOCO -‐ Foro Ciudadano de Participación -‐ Argentina
Alianza Mexicana por la Autodeterminación de los Pueblos (AMAP)
Movimiento Social Nicaraguense Otro Mundo es Posible
Ingeniería Sin Fronteras Asturias
Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalización (ODG)
Otros Mundos AC/Amigos de la Tierra México
Coordinadora Asturiana de ONGD -‐ Spain
Centro de Documentación e Información Bolivia (CEDIB)
Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN)
Ekologistak Martxan (Euskal Herria/Basque Country)
Ecosistemas de Chile CADTM -‐ AYNA
Both ENDS
KRuHA (People’s Coalition for the Rights to Water)
Kilusang Maralita sa Kanayuna (KILOS KA)
SOLdePaz.Pachakuti
Unión Universal Desarrollo Solidario
Democracy Center
Friends of the Earth -‐ England, Wales and Northern Ireland
JA! Justiça Ambiental/FOE Mozambique
France Amérique Latine
Fundación Solon -‐ Bolivia
Observatorio de Multinacionales en América Latina
Red de Educación Popular entre Mujeres Latinoamerica y Caribe REPEM-‐LAC
Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo
Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indígenas -‐ CAOI
Terra de Direitos – Brazil
European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) – Europe
Conectas Direitos Humanos – Brazil
Network for Transformative Social Protection in Asia (NTSP)
Red WIDE PLUS (Mujeres y desarrollo en Europa)
Welthaus Diözese Graz-‐Seckau -‐ Austria
VCÖ -‐ Mobilität mit Zukunft -‐ Austria
Center for Encounter and active Non‐Violence – Austria
Centre for Sustainable Development (CENESTA) – Iran
Österreichische Liga für Menschenrechte – Austria
Active Unemployed Austria
SÜDWIND – Austria
Housing and Land Rights Network India
Human Rights Foundation New Zealand
Frauensolidarität – Austria
Welthaus Wien – Austria
WIDE – Network for Women´s Rights and Feminist Perspectives in Development – Austria
KULU-‐Women and Development – Denmark
Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais -‐ Cuba
Fresh Eyes – UK
FIAN Austria
ÖBV – La Via Campesina Austria
Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
DECA Equipo Pueblo -‐ México
Espacio DESC -‐ capitulo mexicano PIDHDD -‐ Mexico
Inclusive Development International
IPP / UPGRADE / OUR Landlord / Egi Families in Aklaka -‐ Nigeria
BIOS ARGENTINA Proyecto de derechos económicos, sociales y culturales AC (ProDESC) – Mexico
Associación Ambiente y Sociedad – Colombia
Philippines Indigenous Peoples’ Links
Jus Semper Global Alliance
Equitable Cambodia
Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER) – Americas
Citizens for Justice – Malawi
Center for Women’s Global Leadership – USA
Geneva Infant Feeding Association GIFA – Switzerland
Consulting and Research for early child development – Macedonia
Initiativ Liewensufank – Luxembourg
Pradzia – Lithuania
Borstvoeding vzw’ Belgium
Mothers’ source – Ukraine
IBFAN-‐ICDC, Malaysia
IBFAN Italia – Italy
IBFAN
Germanwatch – Germany
Urgewald – Germany
Women and Mothers against Violence, IBFAN Bulgaria
African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies -‐ Africa
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights – Egypt
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) – Egypt
Network on Corporate Accountability CorA – Germany
Institute for Ecology and Action Anthropology infoe – Germany
Associaçao Mama Mater – IBFAN Portugal
Adéquations Plataforma española de WIDE+ (WIDE+E) -‐ Spain
Cooperacció -‐ Spain Centro de Estudios e Investigación sobre Mujeres (CEIM) -‐ Spain
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
Tebtebba (Indigenous Peoples International Centre on Policy Research and Advocacy)
Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF)
Christliche Initiative Romero ‐ Germany
Signed
by/Firman:
FIAN
International
Transnational
Institute
Center
of
Concern
Friends
of
the
Earth
International
(FoEI)
La
Via
Campesina
World
March
of
Women
World
Rainforest
Movement
-‐
WRM
Food
&
Water
Watch
Third
World
Network
CADTM
International
World
Forum
for
Alternatives
Global
Social
Justice
ETC
Group
Transnational
Migrant
Platform
International
Federation
for
Human
Rights
(FIDH)
Amigos
da
Terra
America
Latina
e
Caribe
(ATALC)
Food
&
Water
Europe
Alianza
Social
Continental
Focus
on
the
Global
South
Comité
de
Mujeres
de
la
Alianza
Social
Continental
Alliance
of
Progressive
Labor
(APL)
–
Philippines
Alyansa
Tigil
Mina
(ATM)
-‐
Philippines
REDES
–
Uruguay
Polaris
Institute
–
Canada
Red
Mexicana
de
Acción
frente
al
Libre
Comercio
Ecuador
Decide
Instituto
Equit
–
Brasil
Justiça
Global
–
Brasil
Hegoa
Instituto
de
Estudios
sobre
Desarrollo
y
Cooperación
Internacional
Friends
of
the
Landless
-‐
Finland
ATTAC
–
Argentina
groundWork,
Friends
of
the
Earth
-‐
South
Africa
AIDC
–
South
Africa
Trust
for
Community
Outreach
and
Education
–
South
Africa
Democratic
Left
Front
–
South
Africa
ATTAC
Austria
Philippine
Rural
Reconstruction
Movement
Centro
de
Documentación
en
Derechos
Humanos
“Segundo
Montes
Mozo
S.J.”
(CSMM)
–
Ecuador
Entrepueblos
del
Estado
Español
Fronteras
Comunes
de
Canada
Ecologistas
en
Acción
Col·∙lectiu
RETS:
Respostes
a
les
Transnacionals
War
on
Want
Economic
Justice
Network
of
FOCCISA
(Fellowship
of
Christian
Councils
of
Southern
Africa)
Coordinación
por
los
Derechos
de
los
Pueblos
Indígenas
(CODPI)
del
Estado
español
SHALIN
-‐
Finland
Latinamerikagrupperna
(SAL)
-‐
Suecia
Attac
France
ATTAC
VLAANDEREN
Comité
du
Forum
Social
Lémanique,
Geneva
Consumers
Association
of
Penang,
Malaysia
Friends
of
the
Earth
Malaysia
ATTAC
Portugal
Colectivo
Ecologista
MadreSelva
-‐
Guatemala
Unión
Sindical
Obrera
(USO)
–
España
Federación
Unidad
Ecologica
Salvadoreña
UNES
Amigos
da
Terra
Brasil
Council
of
Canadians
Colectivo
Revuelta
Verde
de
México
Rede
Brasil
sobre
Instituições
Financeiras
Multilaterais
MiningWatch
Canada/Alerta
Minera
Canadá
Indonesia
for
Global
Justice
(IGJ)
Asociacion
Raxch’
och’
Oxlaju
Aj
(Tierra
Verde
13
Aj)
-‐
Guatemala
ILSA
-‐
Instituto
Latinoamericano
por
una
sociedad
y
un
derecho
alternativos
-‐
Colombia
Campaña
de
Afectadas
por
Repsol
Ongd
AFRICANDO
–
España
KASAPI
HELLAS
–
Greece
ATTAC
Spain
SOMO,
Centre
for
Research
on
Multinationals
from
the
Netherlands
Organic
Agriculture
Association
-‐
Albania
Centro
Operacional
de
Vivienda
y
Poblamiento
(Copevi)
-‐
México
Les
Amis
de
la
Terre
France
FOCO
-‐
Foro
Ciudadano
de
Participación
-‐
Argentina
Alianza
Mexicana
por
la
Autodeterminación
de
los
Pueblos
(AMAP)
Movimiento
Social
Nicaraguense
Otro
Mundo
es
Posible
Ingeniería
Sin
Fronteras
Asturias
Observatorio
de
la
Deuda
en
la
Globalización
(ODG)
Otros
Mundos
AC/Amigos
de
la
Tierra
México
Coordinadora
Asturiana
de
ONGD
-‐
Spain
Centro
de
Documentación
e
Información
Bolivia
(CEDIB)
Monitoring
Sustainability
of
Globalisation
(MSN)
Ekologistak
Martxan
(Euskal
Herria/Basque
Country)
Ecosistemas
de
Chile
CADTM
-‐
AYNA
Both
ENDS
KRuHA
(People’s
Coalition
for
the
Rights
to
Water)
Kilusang
Maralita
sa
Kanayuna
(KILOS
KA)
SOLdePaz.Pachakuti
Unión
Universal
Desarrollo
Solidario
Democracy
Center
Friends
of
the
Earth
-‐
England,
Wales
and
Northern
Ireland
JA!
Justiça
Ambiental/FOE
Mozambique
France
Amérique
Latine
Fundación
Solon
-‐
Bolivia
Observatorio
de
Multinacionales
en
América
Latina
Red
de
Educación
Popular
entre
Mujeres
Latinoamerica
y
Caribe
REPEM-‐LAC
Plataforma
Interamericana
de
Derechos
Humanos,
Democracia
y
Desarrollo
Coordinadora
Andina
de
Organizaciones
Indígenas
-‐
CAOI
Terra
de
Direitos
–
Brazil
European
Coalition
for
Corporate
Justice
(ECCJ)
–
Europe
Conectas
Direitos
Humanos
–
Brazil
Network
for
Transformative
Social
Protection
in
Asia
(NTSP)
Red
WIDE
PLUS
(Mujeres
y
desarrollo
en
Europa)
Welthaus
Diözese
Graz-‐Seckau
-‐
Austria
VCÖ
-‐
Mobilität
mit
Zukunft
-‐
Austria
Center
for
Encounter
and
active
Non-‐Violence
–
Austria
Centre
for
Sustainable
Development
(CENESTA)
–
Iran
Österreichische
Liga
für
Menschenrechte
–
Austria
Active
Unemployed
Austria
SÜDWIND
–
Austria
Housing
and
Land
Rights
Network
India
Human
Rights
Foundation
New
Zealand
Frauensolidarität
–
Austria
Welthaus
Wien
–
Austria
WIDE
–
Network
for
Women´s
Rights
and
Feminist
Perspectives
in
Development
–
Austria
KULU-‐Women
and
Development
–
Denmark
Sociedad
Economica
de
Amigos
del
Pais
-‐
Cuba
Fresh
Eyes
–
UK
FIAN
Austria
ÖBV
–
La
Via
Campesina
Austria
Global
Initiative
for
Economic,
Social
and
Cultural
Rights
DECA
Equipo
Pueblo
-‐
México
Espacio
DESC
-‐
capitulo
mexicano
PIDHDD
-‐
Mexico
Inclusive
Development
International
IPP
/
UPGRADE
/
OUR
Landlord
/
Egi
Families
in
Aklaka
-‐
Nigeria
BIOS
ARGENTINA
Proyecto
de
derechos
económicos,
sociales
y
culturales
AC
(ProDESC)
–
Mexico
Associación
Ambiente
y
Sociedad
–
Colombia
Philippines
Indigenous
Peoples’
Links
Jus
Semper
Global
Alliance
Equitable
Cambodia
Project
on
Organizing,
Development,
Education
and
Research
(PODER)
–
Americas
Citizens
for
Justice
–
Malawi
Center
for
Women’s
Global
Leadership
–
USA
Geneva
Infant
Feeding
Association
GIFA
–
Switzerland
Consulting
and
Research
for
early
child
development
–
Macedonia
Initiativ
Liewensufank
–
Luxembourg
Pradzia
–
Lithuania
Borstvoeding
vzw’
Belgium
Mothers’
source
–
Ukraine
IBFAN-‐ICDC,
Malaysia
IBFAN
Italia
–
Italy
IBFAN
Germanwatch
–
Germany
Urgewald
–
Germany
Women
and
Mothers
against
Violence,
IBFAN
Bulgaria
African
Center
for
Democracy
and
Human
Rights
Studies
-‐
Africa
Egyptian
Initiative
for
Personal
Rights
–
Egypt
Cairo
Institute
for
Human
Rights
Studies
(CIHRS)
–
Egypt
Network
on
Corporate
Accountability
CorA
–
Germany
Institute
for
Ecology
and
Action
Anthropology
infoe
–
Germany
Associaçao
Mama
Mater
–
IBFAN
Portugal
Adéquations
Plataforma
española
de
WIDE+
(WIDE+E)
-‐
Spain
Cooperacció
-‐
Spain
Centro
de
Estudios
e
Investigación
sobre
Mujeres
(CEIM)
-‐
Spain
Congregation
of
Our
Lady
of
Charity
of
the
Good
Shepherd
Tebtebba
(Indigenous
Peoples
International
Centre
on
Policy
Research
and
Advocacy)
Women
in
Europe
for
a
Common
Future
(WECF)
Christliche
Initiative
Romero
-‐
Germany
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