Home > News and Reports > The UN Human Rights Norms For Business:Towards Legal Accountability
Human rights organizations have addressed concerns to
businesses for a number of
years. Recognizing that economic globalization has expanded the
reach of corporate
power, advocates have struggled to ensure that companies, no less
than other significant
actors, are brought within the framework of international human
rights rules. A
significant step in this direction was taken in August 2003 by the
UN Sub-Commission
on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights when it approved
the UN Norms on
the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other
Business Enterprises with
Regard to Human Rights.
This
booklet provides an introduction to the UN Human Rights Norms
for Business. It
answers a number of questions about the UN Norms and their legal
status, and includes
an overview of their development, background on the drafting
process, and a description
of the content and legal status of the UN Norms. The text of the UN
Norms and their
Commentary are reproduced on pages 20-35.
In Amnesty International's view, governments, advocates and
companies should support
the UN Human Rights Norms for Business as offering an authoritative
and
comprehensive statement of the responsibilities of companies in
relation to human rights.
The UN Norms provide clarity and credibility amidst many competing
voluntary codes
that too often lack international legitimacy, and provide far less
detail on human rights
issues. AI supports efforts to strengthen the legal basis for the
UN Norms, and calls on
governments, companies and advocates to disseminate and apply the
UN Norms.
