MONROVIA: December 10 marked the 75th anniversary of one of the world’s most groundbreaking global pledges: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This Day was celebrated in Monrovia by Business and Human Rights Network and Resource Center in Liberia, a non-profit NGO established in 2012.
This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
The Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 and sets out for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
During the anniversary celebration, the Business and Human Rights Network and Resource Center in Liberia, a non-profit NGO established in 2012, draws its mandate from this Declaration as well as international human rights covenants and conventions that followed and relevant domestic laws and regulations.
All of these encompass the standards for implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights – the “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework endorsed by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 17/4 of 16 June 2021.
Since the Network’s establishment, it has engaged many stakeholders, both public and private.
In a statement issued in Monrovia, the Business and Human Rights Network and Resource Center in Liberia pointed out this has, and continues to entail the government having business enterprises adhere to their responsibility to respect human rights and on business enterprises, whether small, medium or large, taking responsibility to respect human rights through their management and operations.
“In our efforts to address our today’s national and global challenges, we need all hands-on deck, particularly the business sector which has a wide range of influence on the conditions of workers, children, women, indigenous groups, families, and communities, persons with disabilities as well as the environment and on having or not having sustainable and equitable development.
“Our message that comes across clearly is the need to do more. The young and old are clamoring for accountability and for change – people want to see a transformation taking place in the way businesses operate, also and more fundamentally – in the way we bring economic growth. It has to be built on economic standards to reevaluate our relationship with the natural world; and make sure these efforts are underpinned by human rights,” the Network added.
“It is important to recognize that the laws and policies of our country can be strengthened as part of the smart mix of measures to protect people and our community from harmful business activities throughout the value chain and the business community can do more to avoid harm and address it where it occurs.
“This change and this commitment must be genuine and authentic. Not just by sticking a label on a product or publishing a paper on a website or so,” the Network further indicated.
“We need a radical transformation to put business and human rights at the heart of our economics and state policies. Business profit, for example, cannot be at any expense. We have to take into account the adverse impact business conduct can have on people, communities and countries.
“We, therefore, urge us all, particularly our government and the business community, to use this 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as an opportunity to reconfirm this miraculous text and the role of all in light of current and future challenges,” the Network pointed out.
Moving forward, we can, therefore, make this a rallying call, to make sure, we create real positive change in the lives of people in our country and everywhere, where the public and private sectors fulfill their duties and responsibilities to: Effectively implement the United Nations Guiding Principles on business and human rights, thereby upholding the Declaration, international human rights commitments and laws and regulations; Move policy measures from paper to practice; and Walk the talk and lead by example whereby business enterprises exhibit ongoing measurable respect for human rights.
It is encouraging to see that our government is developing a Business and Human Rights National Action Plan.
However, if such a plan and the Guiding Principles are not embedded into working practices right across government and the business sector, they risk becoming a box-ticking exercise which leads to inaction, the network observes.
As to the Liberian government, the Business and Human Rights Network and Resource Center calls on our government to go beyond policy declarations and take concrete actions and regulatory measures across government that hold the business sector accountable on fulfilling its responsibility to respect human rights.
With such accountability and fulfillment, this is to prevent and properly address any adverse human rights impact resulting from business conduct or practices. Our government must rise to the occasion, considering that human rights are at the core of good governance and the rule of law.
It is our hope that our government and the business community will place a high premium on communicating their commitment to human rights and the government institutions and business enterprises will be actively involved with rights holders and rights defenders to support this commitment. Such meaningful engagement, we believe, is the most effective way to understand and grasp our national and global challenges and craft solutions that are urgently needed.
These actions will also bring business enterprises to have a public commitment to respect human rights that is transparent and measurable for accountability which is at the foundation for a culture that makes human rights a consistent part of how they operate, thus benefiting business enterprises to prevent potential human rights concerns/abuses.
The Business and Human Rights Network and Resource Center also asserted that it looks forward to a continued engagement and collaboration with the public and private sectors as the commitment to Business and Human Rights is underway to be an integral part of the legal, economic, social, cultural and political landscape of Liberia, the statement was signed by Ben J. Wilson, National Coordinator.
