Elaboration Of An Ilbi On Tc And Other Be With Respect To Human Rights

In June 2014, the UN Human Rights Council passed Resolution 26/9, which established an open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) to develop a legally binding instrument on business and human rights. The mandate of the IGWG is to elaborate on a treaty to regulate “transnational corporations and other business enterprises.” The resolution, which was co-sponsored by Ecuador and South Africa, was passed by affirmative votes from 20 member states of the Human Rights Council, while 13 abstained and 14 voted against it. Member states voted as follows: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, China, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Venezuela, and Vietnam (in favor); Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Gabon, Kuwait, Maldives, Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, and the United Arab Emirates (abstained); Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, South Korea, Romania, Macedonia, the UK, and the U.S. (opposed). This resolution was strongly supported by the Treaty Alliance, a group of networks and campaign organizations collectively working to organize advocacy in support of developing binding international regulation to address corporate human rights abuses.  

The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) as well as many regional and national IBFAN groups are members of the Treaty Alliance. Since June 2014, IBFAN has closely collaborated with the Treaty Alliance  and is a member of the Treaty Alliance Facilitation Group. IBFAN- GIFA also takes active part in the work of the IGWG on behalf of IBFAN.

Useful links:

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  Treaty Alliance website: www.treatymovement.com  
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  Treaty Alliance 2nd Joint Statement: www.treatymovement.com/statement  
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  Joint written submission by Friends of the Earth Europe, Brot fí¼r die Welt, SOMO, CIDSE IBFAN, IBFAN-GIFA and Global Policy Forum: http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IGWG-contribution-FoEE-BftW-GPF-CIDSE-IBFAN-SOMO_July-2015-FINAL.pdf  
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  Post-session press release: http://www.gifa.org/human-rights-talks-survive-and-advance-despite-eus-pro-business-attempts-to-derail/

IBFAN’s oral statements:

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  IBFAN’s oral statement – General Comments: http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GIFA-Oral-Statement_GENERAL-COMMENTS1.pdf

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  IBFAN’s oral statement on Panel IV – Scope-human rights coverage:http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GIFA-Oral-Statement_PANEL-IV_HR-COVERAGE.pdf

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  IBFAN’s oral statement on Panel V – ETOs: http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GIFA-Oral-Statement_PANEL_V_CONTENT_ETOs.pdf

Oral statements by other organizations delivered on behalf of IBFAN:

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  CIDSE’s oral statement on Panel II – Principles: http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CIDSE-oral-statement_Principles-1.pdf
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  SOMO’s oral statement on Panel III – Scope/coverage of the instrument (TNCs vs all enterprises): http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SOMO-oral-statement-joint-submission-in-Panel-II-on-scope_final.pdf
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  CIDSE’s oral statement on Panel IV – Scope/human rights coverage:http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CIDSE-oral-statement_Scope_Rights.pdf
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  Friends of the Earth Europe’s oral statement on Panel V – ETOs: http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/FoEE-and-others_panel-V_ETOs.pdf
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  Friends of the Earth Europe’s oral statement on Panel VI – Content: Obligations of TNCs and other business enterprises: http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Panel-VI-content-FOEE-with-others.pdf
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  SOMO’s oral statement on Panel VII – Content: standards for legal accountability TNCs and what conduct? http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Panel-VII-on-liability-SOMO1.pdf
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  SOMO’s oral statement on Panel VIII – Content: Mechanisms for Access to Remedy, including international cooperation: http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Panel-VIII-on-Remedy-SOMO-FOEE-CIDSE-BfdW-IBFAN-GPF.pdf

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  Read the letter of appreciation from the Mission of Ecuador to IBFAN http://www.gifa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/letter_appreciation_MP_Ecuador_IBFAN.pdf