05 Mar 2019

Access Now and GPD respond to IGWG consultation on proposed binding treaty

Access Now and GPD have responded to a consultation by the Open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights (IGWG) on a draft legally binding instrument, issued on 6 February 2019.

The IGWG was created by the Human Rights Council in 2014. Its mandate is to develop an international legally binding instrument to regulate the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises, using international human rights law.  

Building on a recent blogpost, Access Now and GPD’s submission to the consultation emphasises the need to consider the potential impact of such an instrument on the communications and information technology sector. We call on the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group to strengthen the draft by:

  1. demanding transparency from companies on human rights impacts assessments;
  2. closely scrutinizing the business/state relationship to prevent private and state-owned/controlled companies from enabling states to carry out human rights abuses;
  3. providing effective remedial mechanisms for victims, with fair processes and adequate redress; and
  4. widening the scope of application of the treaty to include domestic companies.

Submissions to the consultation will be posted in due course on the IGWG’s website. 

Read Access Now and GPD’s submission here.