Amnesty/Oxfam call on Governments to support UN Human Rights Norms for Business by Amnesty International / Oxfam International 5:17pm 7th Apr, 2004   7 April 2004.    Amnesty International and Oxfam call on governments to ensure discussions on the UN Norms for business continue.    (Open Letter to Governments at the UN Human Rights Commission in session).    We write to strongly encourage your support for the UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Trans National Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with regard to Human Rights as transmitted by the Sub-Commission at the 60th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights.    The Norms are a much-needed contribution to promote respect for human rights in that they recognise the integral role that companies play in this challenge. They provide a truly comprehensive guide to exactly how companies' policies and operations interact with human rights. Their strength derives from the fact that they draw from existing international law and address all human rights, be they civil, cultural, economic, political or social. We believe that the Norms will provide critical support for companies to effectively implement ethical policies. Further, they also play an important role in supporting States in ensuring that domestic legislation in relation to business is adequate. For those who daily face violations to their human rights as a result of business decisions or activities, this initiative will be a vital step forward in the eradication of poverty and injustice, and respect for human rights. If business is truly committed to human rights this must be of some benefit. Reluctance to support the Norms will in itself fuel public mistrust of companies and raise questions about the authenticity of commitments towards Corporate Social Responsibility.    We are aware that some have raised concerns that the Norms seek to 'privatise' the implementation of human rights law, transferring obligations of the state to business. This is misleading. The opening paragraph of the document makes this clear: 'States have the primary responsibility to respect, ensure respect for, prevent abuses of, and promote human rights recognised in international as well as national law, including ensuring that transnational corporations and other business enterprises respect human rights'.    Clearly in legal terms it is not possible for States to transfer their legal obligations to promote and protect human rights to companies, nor for companies to assume them, but it is entirely reasonable to expect companies to use their best endeavours to meet those obligations. We believe the term 'Norms' properly reflects this and the international community and civil society expect that business will operate to the highest standard even where States are weak or indeed violate human rights themselves.    Both our organizations welcomed greatly the work done by the Sub-Commission on drafting and approving these Norms last year. The initiative taken by the Sub-Commission rightly placed the issue of corporate responsibility for human rights within the realms of the UN human rights system. We believe that discussion and consideration at the Commission-level is necessary to further promote this and to encourage interaction between governments, companies and civil society on various aspects of the Norms. We hope you will lend your Government's support to this imperative. Specifically, we would support a process by which the Norms are widely disseminated and discussed by all interested parties, who should then be invited to submit their comments for compilation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. These comments should then be considered by the Commission at its 61st session. Thank you for your consideration.    Yours sincerely,    Irene Khan, Secretary General, Amnesty International.    Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director, Oxfam International. Visit the related web page
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