Abu Dhabi (WAM)
The Permanent Committee for Human Rights hosted a dialogue session on the relationship between business and human rights, in cooperation with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and with the support of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, in the presence of prominent officials from government agencies, civil society and academia, and with the participation of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
The session highlighted the important role of the business community in promoting human rights and the sustainable development goals, and the importance of achieving interconnection and mutual support between them. It addressed international mechanisms aimed at promoting responsible business behavior, and provided an opportunity to discuss the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and ways to apply them. At the local and global levels.
At the beginning of the session, Hind Al Owais, Director of the Permanent Committee, touched on the impact of business on the lives of millions of people around the world, including providing social and economic opportunities and effectively contributing to protecting vulnerable groups in societies.
It reviewed the responsibility of companies in promoting human rights, and the role that governments can play to support them in this commitment.
The session was moderated by Ghada Al Nabulsi, Deputy Director of the Economic and Commercial Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and witnessed the presentation of distinguished insights from several distinguished speakers, including Abdullah Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for Domestic Workers; Professor Robert McCorquodale, Emeritus Professor of International Law and Human Rights at the University of Nottingham and Chair of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, who spoke in his personal capacity, and Badr Jaafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises.
The session reviewed the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which provide a set of principles of responsible behavior, as well as providing the necessary guidance for applying ethical practices within global supply chains.
These principles represent a roadmap that allows companies to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Speakers pointed out that the application of the Guiding Principles depends on the local context of each region, in light of the different actions taken by companies to promote human rights around the world.
Perfect platform
Abdullah Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi stressed the importance of this session, which provided an ideal platform for communicating and reviewing best practices, as well as sharing the progress, successes and achievements achieved in the field of business and human rights in the UAE.
He touched on the efforts made by the UAE in this regard, and said: “The participation of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in these sessions coincides with the achievement of many important achievements and prominent strategic developments, which contribute to improving the labor market in the UAE, which has approved a set of new legislation to increase the ease of… Conducting business, in a way that enhances the social protection system that we launched to protect the interests of workers in various parts of the country, which includes the unemployment insurance system, the savings system, the worker protection program, and other initiatives aimed at simplifying procedures, protecting the rights of workers and ensuring their safety, while protecting the rights of parties. Employment and employers at the same time.
For her part, Ghada Al Nabulsi said: “The UAE is proud of the great progress it has made in adopting ethical practices in its business community.”
The session explained the importance of strengthening regulatory frameworks in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in addition to its role in protecting the interests of all concerned parties.
respect human rights
In turn, Professor Robert McCorquodale, Emeritus Professor of International Law and Human Rights at the University of Nottingham and Chair of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights, said: “Businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights, and governments should limit human rights violations that businesses may commit.” Whether companies commit abuse, participate in it, or are directly linked to such violations… In addition, companies must take the necessary measures in the field of human rights, which ensure the well-being of humans and the planet, with the aim of identifying the actual and potential negative impacts of their activities on human rights. Reducing and treating them when necessary.
Badr Jaafar said: “Businesses around the world are seeking to redefine their social role and assume their institutional responsibilities on a broader scale. As a result of the interconnectedness of supply chains, the private sector has a significant impact on the environment in which it operates and the communities with which it interacts. Therefore, the business community can Creating positive change in various sectors and regions, by implementing responsible business practices that respect human rights.”
Partners
The dialogue session was held as part of an ongoing series of events organized by the Permanent Committee for Human Rights and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, with the aim of providing a platform for exchanging views and highlighting the best practices adopted to protect human rights.
These activities are consistent with the long-term methodology adopted by the UAE, which aims to cooperate with regional and international partners with the aim of protecting and promoting universal human rights in accordance with international obligations.
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