Human Rights Day – 10 October
Beyond the traditional judicial fora where business enterprises can be challenged for human rights violations, they now also face ‘new judges’ such as NGOs, consumers, financial institutions, OECD National Contact Points, social networks, and stock markets.
Human Rights Day has been celebrated on this day since a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950 and commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
Since then the efforts to protect human rights have been continuous and the respect for human rights has passed a new frontier, with businesses increasingly becoming key entities in safeguarding compliance.
Human Rights Day can also serve as a reminder of the road travelled by human rights advocates since 1948 and how they have endeavoured to reconcile two spheres that were often considered separate: human rights and business.
Learn more about:
- Connecting the defence of human rights and the business world
- Moving respect of human rights from optional to a commitment for all businesses facing ‘new judges’
- The increasing role of business lawyers in advancing business and human rights