Business and Human Rights

A research programme within the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights

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In recent decades, there has been increased interest in business-related human rights impacts. Gross abuses have been clearly documented by various non-governmental organisations around the world and range from murder to the violation of socio-economic rights and environmental damage. The quest for corporate accountability for human rights violations has been the focal point for the emerging ‘business and human rights’ movement, which tends towards recognising the importance of state involvement in the development of a binding regulatory framework on responsible business behaviour and highlights the importance of access to remedy for victims of human rights violations. The evolution of the legal landscape for business with regards to human rights related issues has been shaped by the unanimous endorsement of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011. This research programme includes a range of research projects within the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights which scrutinise Business and Human Rights challenges. These include attempts to close existing regulatory gaps in holding corporations legally accountable for the negative consequences of their operations, and a large multi-institutional project focusing on the regulation of Modern Slavery.