Addressing obstacles for rights holders - Forum…

4:40pm – 6:00pm  Addressing obstacles for rights holders to effectively access remedy in Latin America

Accountability for business-related human rights abuses remains one of the greatest challenges for the Latin American and Caribbean region to advance the business and human rights agenda. As identified by the OHCHR Accountability and Remedy Project (ARP), most of barriers in accessing both judicial and non-judicial mechanisms are yet to be addressed . In addition, corporate initiatives to provide for remediation to victims when they have caused or contributed to abuses are still scarce . On a positive note, national and regional courts and tribunals have dealt with business and human rights cases, including referring to UNGPs. In addition national human rights institutions and national contact points of RBC of the region are increasingly handling with cases of human rights impacts involving companies. Nevertheless , right holders, including human rights defenders, indigenous leaders and workers, are yet to be redressed and put at the core of the remedial processes in the region. Fighting Impunity, halting strategies to silence human rights defenders work and ensuring integral reparations should be the focus for all governments and businesses of the region to discharge their obligation and responsibility to protect and respect human rights and instill trust among stakeholders. The session will discuss some of the main obstacles to access effective remedy in the region in order to help identify emerging practice and innovative opportunities to make justice and reparation a reality for the region . This session is organized in the context of the EU funded Responsible Business Conduct Project for Latin America and the Caribbean that the UN Working Group, OHCHR, ILO and OECD implement in the region.