UN: Oral statement on the working methods and activities of transnational corporations
* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International *
1 August 2002
IOR 40/021/2002
54th Session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Item 4: Sessional working group on
the working methods and activities of transnational corporations
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ORAL STATEMENT
Delivered by Melinda Ching on 1 August 2002
-CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY-
Chairperson,
Amnesty International takes the floor today to unequivocally support the process of developing the "Human Rights
Principles and Responsibilities for Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises" (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/XX,
E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/WG.2/WP.1). Over the last decade, as the international economic environment has become more conducive
to foreign direct investment and liberalization of international trade of goods and services, civil society
organizations, including Amnesty International, have noted with concern the absence of a regulatory framework that could
encompass non-state actors, particularly economic actors. The absence of such a framework is regarded by some to be at
the heart of international protests targeting economic actors and market-led globalization.
As states have deregulated their economies and privatized functions traditionally performed by the state, non-state
actors, including private sector companies, transnational, multinational or domestic, a lacuna has emerged. Even though
states have the primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights, transnational corporations and other
business enterprises, as organs of society, are also responsible for promoting and securing the human rights set forth
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Transnational corporations and other business enterprises are further
obliged to respect generally recognized principles and norms in UN treaties and other international instruments, such as
the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the ILO
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up, and emerging guidelines, like the OECD
Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises that apply to companies within the framework of OECD membership.
Nevertheless, there remains a gap at the global level. It is this very gap that the Principles and Responsibilities
being developed seek to fill. They have been drafted so as to apply to all transnational corporations and other business
enterprises. This new human rights standard is very comprehensive in covering human rights, labour, environmental,
consumer, bribery, and other concerns. More important, they are based on recognized international standards. The process
at the Sub-Commission leading to the development of these principles has been transparent, inclusive and the
consultation has been broad. And by including corporations in all forms, the principles are fair, in not singling out
any particular form of business entity for special scrutiny. Amnesty International's experience in dialogue with
non-state actors has shown that responsibility for human rights protection extends to all actors, state and non-state,
domestic and international.
Amnesty International welcomes the "Human Rights Principles and Responsibilities for Transnational Corporations and
Other Business Enterprises", as approved by the Working Group in February 2002, and urges the Sub-Commission to
unequivocally support the principles and recommend them to the Commission on Human Rights for adoption at the 59th
session.
Thank you Chairperson.
***
You may repost this message onto other sources provided the main text is not altered in any way and both the header
crediting Amnesty International and this footer remain intact.