Economic and Social Rights

Investment and Human Rights

« previous | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | next »

Introduction

Investment and Human Rights: Current Dynamics

One of the most important challenges of the 21st century is to ensure that the increased flows of foreign investment and corporate activity do not contradict our commitment to human rights. This is not an abstract issue. It is one that affects millions of people around the world, particularly in countries where regulatory systems, including democratic systems of checks and balances, are not in place. Most people whose lives may be fundamentally transformed by corporate activity are ill-equipped to negotiate with companies, to participate in government decision-making or to fully understand the international processes that facilitate foreign investment in or near their communities.

Rights & Democracy’s Involvement

Rights & Democracy has been actively involved in work around corporate accountability and the human rights impact of trade and foreign investment since 1994. We have published studies on corporate codes of conduct and related issues, argued before the World Trade Organization that the trade regime be accountable to international human rights law, and organized numerous international conferences and seminars. The Investment and Human Rights initiative was launched in 2004 to illustrate in concrete terms that if investment is to contribute towards sustainable and equitable development, its human rights impacts will have to be both acknowledged and addressed. Through this initiative, we have designed and produced three publications on various aspects of this fast-evolving field. All three volumes are available in English, French and Spanish.

Human Rights Impact Assessments for Foreign Investment Projects: Learning from community experiences in the Philippines, Tibet, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Argentina, and Peru (2007) was our first volume. It tested a draft methodology for community-based impact assessments in five case studies.
Getting it Right: A step-by-step guide to assess the impact of foreign investment on human rights (2008) is a practical tool. It provides an annotated community-based methodology in CD-ROM format.
Human Rights and Bilateral Investment Treaties: Mapping the role of human rights law within investor-state arbitration (2009) is the third initiative. It provides analysis of the impact of bilateral investment treaties and arbitration processes on human rights.

Rights & Democracy is making a difference

Designing and distributing human rights assessment tools.
Supporting civil society and communities in the application of human rights impact assessment tools.
Stimulating debate through participatory research and publication.
Participating in international networks active around investment and human rights.
Organizing events and conducting research related to human rights and investment.
Reaching out to the private sector to engage in dialogue and understanding.

Goals

Reduce the gap between human rights norms and their application.
Empower affected communities to assess the human rights impacts of foreign investment projects in order to better claim their human rights.
Ensure that foreign investment rules and processes respect human rights law.

Our main partners

The Investment and Human Rights project represents the combined efforts of many individuals and organizations including support from an international advisory committee of United Nations experts, academics and civil society experts in developed and developing countries.

Publications


Volume One: Human Rights Impact Assessments for Foreign Investment Projects	Volume Two: User Manual >> Download the Guide (.msi file 414 MB)	Volume Three: Human Rights and Bilateral Investment Treaties (PDF)