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Weekly Update - 10 December 2014
Lead Story

Businesses & states urged to protect human rights defenders against increasing violence & threats


Intl. Service for Human Rights highlights role of business in engaging with human rights defenders working on corporate accountability

Amnesty Intl. report highlights attacks against human rights defenders in the Americas; includes recommendations for businesses

Ecuador: Indigenous land rights advocate campaigning against Chinese mine project found dead ahead of protests planned at Lima climate change talks

Guardian (UK)
International
Africa
Americas
Asia & Pacific
Europe & Central Asia
Middle East & North Africa
Announcements
Events
Jobs
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International
UN Forum on Business and Human Rights Oxfam releases briefing on steps towards a living wage in global supply chains
  • includes positive steps by Gap, Inditex, Marks & Spencer, Nestlé, Nudie Jeans, Switcher, Tchibo and Unilever
6 companies nominated for Public Eye Award due to concerns about social & environmental impacts
  • we invited the nominated companies to respond: Chevron, Dow Chemical, Glencore, Goldman Sachs, Walmart responses provided
  • Gazprom did not respond
11 new products added to US Labour Dept. list of goods produced by child labour, forced labour

US Department of Labor

  • Bangladesh: garments; India: cotton & sugarcane; Madagascar: vanilla; Kenya & Yemen: fish; Cambodia: alcoholic beverages, meat, textiles, timber; Malaysia: palm oil, electronics
Global faith leaders sign declaration to collaborate on the eradication of slavery by 2020

Guardian (UK)
Africa
Rep. of Congo: Report finds massive oil revenues going to public health projects that are "unfinished, delayed or misconceived" - calls for greater transparency

Publish What You Pay


Blog: "Pulling heads out of the sand: tax avoidance and human rights in Africa"

Nokukhanya Mncwabe, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre


US judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit against Chevron over health & environmental damage allegedly caused by rig explosion in Nigeria

Courthouse News Service
Americas
Mexico: Investigation reveals harsh working conditions on farms supplying US consumers; includes company comments

Los Angeles Times


Briefing praises UK's promotion of business & human rights in Colombia but criticises trade agreements, mining concessions

ABColombia
Asia & Pacific
Indonesia: "Assault on the Commons" - report on deforestation & impact on local communities' rights

Forest Peoples Programme


Mongolia: Report raises concerns about risks to human health & displacement linked to Tayan Nuur mining project; includes company’s comments

CEE Bankwatch Network; SOMO; OT Watch

  • project owned by Altain Khuder, funded by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Cambodia: Clean Sugar Campaign welcomes EU process to assess & redress claims of displacement impacts in sugar industry
Europe & Central Asia
UK: Chancellor proposes 25% levy on profits of multinationals shifted abroad to avoid tax

Guardian (UK)


Commentary: EU is "lagging behind" in responsible mineral trade regulation

Michael Gibb, Global Witness, on World Economic Forum blog
Middle East & North Africa
ILO investigation into Saadiyat Island labour abuses, United Arab Emirates

Guardian (UK); Hyper Allergic

  • Intl. Trade Union Confederation warns workers "trapped" in conditions that "may amount to forced labour"
Israel: Attorney General to examine oil pipeline's lack of transparency after major spill - over 80 injured taken to hospital

Haaretz (Israel); Mail Online (UK)
Company responses Non-responses
Events
Forthcoming events:
  • lecture: "Land Rights or Land Grab?" (Cape Town, 10 Dec)
  • Fair Food Program report launch on working conditions for farm labourers (New York, 11 Dec)
  • hearing on working conditions in Chinese toy industry (Washington DC, 11 Dec)
  • workshop on business implementation of UN Guiding Principles (Copenhagen, 23-24 Jan 2015)
Details of these and other events further in the future can be found here.  Please send relevant event information to Sam Whannel: whannel@business-humanrights.org
Jobs
Current vacancies: Further details and other recently posted jobs available here.  Please send job announcements to Sam Whannel: whannel@business-humanrights.org
Español
Tercer Foro de las Naciones Unidas sobre las empresas y los derechos humanos

Amnistía Internacional


ISHR boletín sobre la protección de los defensores de derechos humanos que trabajan sobre la responsabilidad corporativa

Servicio Internacional de Derechos Humanos


México: Informe sobre ataques a personas defensoras ambientales 2014

Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental


Chile: Subsecretario de Relaciones Exteriores anuncia el desarrollo de un Plan Nacional de Acción de Derechos Humanos y Empresas

Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile


Costa Rica: Editorial cuestiona al Plan Nacional de Desarrollo por concepto de soberanía alimentaria y respeto a derecho a la tierra

La Nación (Costa Rica)
Français
Rép. du Congo : Un nouveau rapport sur la santé publique révèle une mauvaise utilisation des revenus tirés des ressources naturelles

Publiez Ce Que Vous Payez-Congo Brazzaville


La FIDH appelle à une régulation européenne des technologies de surveillance pour empêcher qu’elles soient utilisées dans des violations des droits de l’homme

La France dédommagera les victimes américaines de l’Holocauste pour le rôle de la SNCF dans la déportation vers les camps nazis

France24


Une étude révèle l’augmentation des critères sociaux et environnementaux exigés par les investisseurs institutionnels européens

Novethic (France)


Etats-Unis : La Cour suprême examine une action contre UPS alléguant de discrimination pendant la grossesse

AFP
DISCLAIMER:
We take no position on views by commentators, organizations & companies in the materials in this email: http://business-humanrights.org/en/about-us/disclaimer
Copyright © 2014 Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, All rights reserved.


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