Human Rights Issues. Author and Page information by Anup ShahThis Page Last Updated Monday, October 07, 2013 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into existence shortly after the Second World War, reflecting the wishes of people at the time to try and never see such a horror again.
WissensWerte, a project of the German non-profit organization /e-politik.de/ produced this informative overview on what human rights are: Overview. The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
By doing so, business, as a primary driver of globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. As social, political and economic challenges (and opportunities) — whether occurring at home or in other regions — affect business more than ever before, many companies recognize the need to collaborate and partner with governments, civil society, labour and the United Nations. This ever-increasing understanding is reflected in the Global Compact's rapid growth.
With over 12,000 corporate participants and other stakeholders from over 145 countries, it is the largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative in the world. Corporate Social Responsibility & Human Rights. 1.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is generally understood to mean that corporations have a degree of responsibility not only for the economic consequences of their activities, but also for the social and environmental implications. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘triple bottom line’ approach that considers the economic, social and environmental aspects of corporate activity. Various terms are used to describe CSR initiatives, including ‘Corporate Responsibility,’ ‘Corporate Accountability’, ‘Corporate Citizenship’ and ‘Sustainability.’ The meaning and value of CSR may differ in various contexts, depending on local factors including culture, environmental conditions, and the legal framework. 2.
Human rights are relevant to the economic, social and environmental aspects of corporate activity. Corporations impact on human rights in significant ways. 3. 4. The right to liberty and security of the person. 5. 6. Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia and the Sidelining of Corruption and Human Rights Issues. Memo #26 Robert Hanlon Last month over four hundred members of Asia’s business community converged on the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for a four-day conference dedicated to corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The CSR Asia Summit organized by Hong Kong-based CSR Asia has become one of the region’s most dynamic conferences, bringing together a wide range of corporate stakeholders. Based on this year’s theme, ‘Strategic Solutions for Sustainability,’ the Summit aimed to highlight the close relationship between the social, environmental, and economic risk factors of doing business in Asia. Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Rights in Asia (Hardback) - Taylor & Francis. Supporting human rights is critical to engagement with Asia: APF Canada Task Force. Shanghai, China By Emma Crawford Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:27am PST Canada needs to ensure support for human rights protection in Asia while taking advantage of the economic opportunities there, according to a September 25 Asia Pacific Foundation (APF) of Canada report.
How Canada Can Pursue Human Rights and Trade in Asia. Author: Douglas Goold Published: October 02, 2013 Op-Ed Like others around the world, Canadians were horrified when they saw pictures last April of the collapse of the Bangladeshi garment factory, which killed close to 1,200 people.
They are also upset when they read about the treatment of dissidents in China and elsewhere in Asia. Business and Human Rights — Asia Pacific Forum. Photo by allie-gator, Flickr Creative Commons While broad-based business activity provides skills, opportunities and a decent livelihood for individuals and communities, exploitative conditions, poor safety standards and displacement can severely undermine human rights.
Bonded Labour. Bonded labour is the most widely used method of enslaving people around the world.
A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labour is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan. The person is then tricked or trapped into working for very little or no pay, often for seven days a week. The value of their work becomes invariably greater than the original sum of money borrowed. Often the debts are passed on to next generations.
Bonded labourers are forced to work to repay debts their employer says they owe, and they are not allowed to work for anyone else. The debts often play an important element in human trafficking. Where and how big? Bonded labour has existed for hundreds of years. Today the International Labour Organisation estimates a minimum 11.7 million people are in forced labour in the Asia-Pacific region, the majority of these are in debt bondage. Why does bonded labour exist? Whole families are in bonded labour. Walk Free Foundation – Global Slavery Index 2013.