Economic, Social & Cultural Rights - Business and Human Rights by International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) 6:38am 8th Nov, 2009   ICJ Submission to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights consultations on Business and Human Rights - Economic, Social & Cultural Rights.    In this submission, the ICJ explores key aspects of the "Protect, Respect, Remedy" framework established by the Special Representative to the Secretary General John Ruggie. In particular, the submission discusses the need for a normative approach to holding corporations accountable for their human rights violations, and it applies the findings of the ICJ Expert Panel Report on Corporate Complicity to elaborate on corporations'' legal responsibility to conduct due diligence into their suppliers, buyers, partners and subsidiaries.    The submission also highlights the obstacles victims face to achieving redress through national judiciaries, including corruption, a lack of judicial independence, capacity, and enforcement, as well as significant procedural hurdles. Finally, the submission discusses the weaknesses of current international mechanisms and the need for exploration into alternatives.    The ICJ calls on States to sign the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.    The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) commended the decision of at least nine States to sign the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights when it opens for signature in New York on 24 September 2009. It called on other States, including those already engaged in procedures aimed toward becoming a party to the Optional Protocol, to follow this example and do its utmost to sign the Optional Protocol on that occasion or soon afterwards, with a view towards its ratification and subsequent entry into force. Once in force, the Optional Protocol would restore the original holistic vision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and provide the victims of violations of economic, social and cultural with a means to seek justice at the international level.    * These reports and other reports focusing on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights from the ICJ can be accessed as PDF docs. via the link below. Visit the related web page
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