The UN annual Forum on Business and Human Rights is the global platform for stock-taking and lesson-sharing on efforts to move the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights from paper to practice. As the world’s foremost gathering in this area, it provides a unique space for dialogue between governments, business, civil society, affected groups and international organisations on trends, challenges and good practices in preventing and addressing business-related human rights impacts.
FORUM-ASIA will co-organise the following sessions:
This session will feature a panel of human rights defenders and community representatives from all regions to set the stage for discussions at the 2019 Forum on Business and Human Rights. This session will offer an insight into the lives and struggles of defenders and community representatives, and highlight their expectations to businesses, investors and governments, thus setting the scene for the 2019 Forum.
FORUM-ASIA is co-organising this session alongside: The International Federation for Human Rights – FIDH; Forest Peoples Program; International Service for Human Rights – ISHR; Rights in Development; Peace Brigades International – PBI; Rafto Foundation; Plataforma Internacional contra la Impunidad; Publish What You Pay – PWYP; Defend Defenders; Global Witness; Front Line Defenders; and Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, in collaboration with the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.
Date: Monday, 25 November 2019
Time: 09:00 – 10:15
Venue: Room XIX, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
The session will explore states’ strategies to prevent attacks on and protect human rights defenders and their rights, in cases where defenders are being targeted for their work to address impacts of business activities. It will involve the perspective of defenders and affected rights holders and focus on the role that civil society, intergovernmental bodies, and businesses can play to strengthen and supplement state-based mechanisms.
FORUM-ASIA is co-organising this session alongside: The International Federation for Human Rights – FIDH; Forest Peoples Program; International Service for Human Rights – ISHR; Rights in Development; Peace Brigades International – PBI; Rafto Foundation; Plataforma Internacional contra la Impunidad; Publish What You Pay – PWYP; Defend Defenders; Global Witness; Front Line Defenders; and Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, in collaboration with the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.
Date: Tuesday, 26 November 2019
Time: 15:00 – 18:00
Venue: Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
