Both ENDS

En
Nl
Search
News / 26 September 2013

Stop violations by multinationals

 

The Government of Ecuador offered a petition to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations on September 13th. In this petition, which was signed by Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Venezuela, Peru, the African Group and the Arab Group, Ecuador stresses the need for binding international regulation for transnational corporations. This action is warmly welcomed and supported by more than 100 social movements and civil society organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of workers, farmers and members of indigenous communities. Both ENDS strongly supports this action and our colleague Lieke Ruijmschoot explains why.


binding rules

"Currently, transnational corporations are not subject to international regulations, so these companies can do as they please. This often leads to illegal practices, environmental pollution and severe violation of human rights. The petition focuses on the "Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights" , which were made by the UN in 2011. These are voluntary pronciples: they will only effectively work if they are obligatory, in other words if companies are forced to comply with them. Countries should of course  get the opportunity to sanction transnational corporations if they offend the international law.

 

Both ENDS participates

"The petition is supported by Both ENDS because we believe it's important that large transnational corporations take into account the social and environmental impact of their economic activities in other countries. This petition is a huge step in the right direction because it shows that the producing countries, which suffer from the impunity of international companies, no longer tolerate these practices. Hopefully, similar actions this one will lead to binding legislation, so that in the near future the activities of transnational corporations will no longer have negative effects on anyone.

 

Petition in Spanish

Statement collaborating organizations

 

Read more about this subject