--- title: "Statement to the Human Rights Council in support of the initiative of a group of States for a legally binding instrument on transnational corporations" slug: "statement-to-the-human-rights-council-in-support-of-the-initiative-of-a-group-of-states-for-a-legally-binding-instrument-on-transnational-corporations" post_type: "post" published_at: "2013-09-13T18:14:03+01:00" modified_at: "2013-10-23T18:40:29+01:00" author: "CIHRS" url: "https://cihrs.org/statement-to-the-human-rights-council-in-support-of-the-initiative-of-a-group-of-states-for-a-legally-binding-instrument-on-transnational-corporations/?lang=en" category: - "United Nations Human Rights Council" --- # Statement to the Human Rights Council in support of the initiative of a group of States for a legally binding instrument on transnational corporations 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