Latest news with #UNGuidingPrinciplesonBusinessandHumanRights
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
CNDH President Calls for Human-Centered Economy at Arab-African Forum on Business and Human Rights
Gummersbach – Amina Bouayach, President of Morocco's National Human Rights Council (CNDH), issued today at the Arab-African Forum on Business and Human Rights, that economic development must serve human dignity, not undermine it. Standing before policymakers, civil society leaders, and international delegates in Marrakech, Bouayach noted that the link between business and human rights is no longer a theoretical issue. 'This is not just an academic or institutional conversation,' she said. 'It is a strategic and moral imperative, one that directly affects justice, peace, and the future of our societies.' The forum brought together representatives from across Africa and the Arab world to discuss how regional economies can grow while respecting universal human rights. Bouayach described the gathering as a chance to build a shared vision that aligns the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals with the African Union's Agenda 2063. Fourteen years after the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Bouayach reflected on their continued relevance, but also on the deep challenges that remain. Recent years, she warned, have laid bare the grim reality that the environment is deteriorating at an alarming rate, forced displacement continues to rise, inequality is widening, and the most vulnerable are growing more fragile. She spoke with particular concern about the persistence of child labor, noting that 72 million children in Africa are still working instead of learning. 'This is not only a failure of economic systems,' she lamented. 'It is a failure of conscience.' Such numbers point to a larger issue, the lack of adequate protection for economic and social rights in too many countries. A commitment to dignity, equity and sustainability Turning to Morocco, Bouayach acknowledged the country's ongoing economic expansion but cautioned that growth alone is not enough. Development, she said, must include the rights and well-being of workers, communities, and the environment. 'We must ensure that infrastructure projects, major investments, and supply chains reflect a commitment to dignity, equity, and sustainability.' She also underlined the urgent need for legislative reform. National laws that govern labor relations and investment must be updated to align with international standards for decent work and responsible enterprise. Implementing human rights due diligence , as required by global frameworks, remains a major challenge. Bouayach called for integrating human rights into international investment frameworks, making environmental justice a top economic priority, and ensuring that development strategies reflect human rights obligations. She also pointed to the importance of including marginalized groups in decision-making and urged renewed momentum behind the adoption of the long-awaited international convention on the right to development. Under her leadership, the CNDH is already working on several fronts. The council monitors complaints related to environmental and social impacts of economic activity and plays a role in shaping national strategies, including Morocco's preparation for co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup. It is also working to ensure that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) incorporates a human rights approach, while continuing to engage with the UN system and address emerging challenges like the impact of artificial intelligence on labor and rights. Bouayach concluded her remarks with a reminder of the enormous potential within the Arab and African regions. Tags: Amina BouayachCNDHeconomyhuman rights
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
‘M'sia gains when refugees work'
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia stands to benefit economically and resolve workforce gaps by enabling refugees and asylum seekers to work under a formal framework, says the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF). Its president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said that currently, 185,000 refugees and asylum seekers reside in Malaysia, the majority of whom are of working age and physically able to contribute to the economy. 'At present, refugees and asylum seekers face legal and practical barriers to formal employment, despite having the skills, willingness and potential to contribute positively to the Malaysian economy. 'MEF believes that, if managed strategically and humanely, the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into the formal labour market will positively help address several pressing national challenges, particularly in sectors facing acute labour shortages such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and care services,' he said in a statement yesterday. Syed Hussain said one way to revitalise the economy is by granting work access to those registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Malaysia. 'This will not only provide them with the opportunity to recover from the trauma of war, conflict and persecution, but also allow them to contribute to Malaysia's economic growth, with clear benefits to businesses and consumers,' he added. He said MEF believes formalising refugee employment will bring tangible benefits, including supporting Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth through labour output, consumption, taxation and entrepreneurship. Syed Hussain said it could also reduce exploitation and illegal hiring practices by promoting labour compliance, as well as saving time and costs for employers by tapping into a workforce already present in the country. He pointed to a joint study by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UNHCR where they found that enabling refugees to work could increase a country's GDP by up to 0.5% over time. 'Even if 30% to 40% of the refugee and asylum seeker population is granted access to the formal job market, this could add 55,000 to 75,000 employees to Malaysia's labour force, boosting productivity and supporting national economic growth,' he said. Syed Hussain said this approach would not displace local workers, especially in 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous and difficult) that are typically shunned by Malaysians. 'It would reduce dependency on foreign workers and cut enforcement costs associated with illegal labour,' he said. Syed Hussain added that the move would also strengthen Malaysia's international standing on human rights and align with global standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations. 'MEF is calling on the government to collaborate with employers, trade unions, NGOs and international bodies to develop a clear, transparent policy framework that defines legal work status, outlines obligations and rights, integrates skills recognition and includes proper vetting and monitoring mechanisms. 'MEF believes the inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers into Malaysia's formal workforce is a win-win strategy; one that strengthens economic resilience, meets business needs and upholds Malaysia's humanitarian commitments,' he said.
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Giving refugees the right to work a win-win for Malaysia, says MEF
PETALING JAYA: Allowing refugees and asylum seekers to work under a regulated framework could help address labour shortages and boost Malaysia's economy, says the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF). Its president, Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman, said over 185,000 refugees and asylum seekers currently reside in the country, most of whom are of working age and physically capable of contributing to the economy. 'Despite having the skills, willingness and potential to contribute, they face legal and practical barriers to formal employment,' he said in a statement on Sunday (June 22). "MEF believes that, if managed strategically and humanely, the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into the formal labour market will positively help address several pressing national challenges, particularly in sectors facing acute labour shortages such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and care services." Syed Hussain proposed allowing those registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to be granted formal work access in Malaysia. 'This will not only provide them with the opportunity to recover from the trauma of war, conflict and persecution, but also allow them to contribute to Malaysia's economic growth, with clear benefits to businesses and consumers,' he added. He said MEF believes formalising refugee employment could support GDP growth through increased labour output, consumption, taxation and entrepreneurship. It could also reduce exploitation and illegal hiring by promoting compliance with labour laws, while saving employers time and recruitment costs by tapping into an existing workforce, said Syed Hussain. He cited a joint study by the International Labour Organization and UNHCR, which found that enabling refugees to work could raise a country's GDP by up to 0.5% over time. 'If even 30 to 40% of the refugee and asylum seeker population is granted access to the formal job market, this could add 55,000 to 75,000 employees to Malaysia's labour force, boosting productivity and supporting national economic growth,' he said. Syed Hussain stressed that this would not displace local workers, especially in 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous, and difficult) typically shunned by Malaysians. 'It would reduce dependency on foreign workers and cut enforcement costs associated with illegal labour,' he said. Syed Hussain said this move would also strengthen Malaysia's international standing on human rights and align with global standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and ESG expectations. 'MEF is calling on the government to collaborate with employers, trade unions, NGOs and international bodies to develop a clear, transparent policy framework that defines legal work status, outlines obligations and rights, integrates skills recognition and includes proper vetting and monitoring mechanisms. 'MEF believes the inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers into Malaysia's formal workforce is a win-win strategy - one that strengthens economic resilience, meets business needs and upholds Malaysia's humanitarian commitments,' he said.
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Türk Urges EU To Protect Landmark Legislation On Business And Human Rights
Geneva, 8 May 2025 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today urged the European Union to ensure any revisions to its corporate sustainability directive do not weaken its alignment with international human rights standards. An 'omnibus' proposal currently being debated by the EU parliament and Council aims to amend key EU sustainability laws, including the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), a landmark piece of legislation passed last year that requires large companies to take reasonable steps to identify and address their adverse impacts on human rights and the environment. 'The CSDDD, by far the most ambitious business and human rights regulatory initiative anywhere in the world, has rightly been welcomed by companies, policy makers, civil society, and national human rights institutions alike, and a large number of businesses have already taken steps to ensure they comply with it,' said Türk. The UN Human Rights Office has just published a detailed commentary on the omnibus proposal explaining the ways in which it would undermine the CSDDD, highlighting several concerns, and calling for any review of this groundbreaking piece of legislation to expressly maintain its alignment with international human rights standards. 'While some streamlining of the EU corporate sustainability regime could be advantageous, it would be counterproductive to water down its alignment with international standards, in particular the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,' warned Türk. In its current form, the CSDDD has been widely hailed as a welcome step toward ensuring businesses respect human rights and the environment. The omnibus proposal, if adopted, not only risks this achievement, but it also will probably lead to more complicated and burdensome processes for companies, which goes contrary to the stated aims of the proposal itself.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta's Oversight Board seeks details on the company's new hate speech policies
Meta's Oversight Board, the independent group created to help Meta with content moderation decisions, on Tuesday issued its response to the social media company's new hate speech policies announced in January. The Board says that Meta's new policies were "announced hastily, in a departure from regular procedure," and called on the company to provide more information about its rules. In addition, the Board asked Meta to asses the impact of its new policies on vulnerable user groups, report those findings publicly, and update the Board every six months. The Board says it's in discussions with Meta to retool its fact-checking policies in regions outside the U.S., as well. Just weeks before President Donald Trump took office, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg embarked on an overhaul of the company's content moderation policies in an effort to allow "more speech" on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. As part of this push, Meta rolled back hate speech rules that protected immigrants and LGBTQIA+ users across its various platforms. Regarding Meta's new policies, the Board says it issued 17 recommendations to Meta that, among other things, ask the company to measure the effectiveness of its new community notes system, clarify its revised stance on hateful ideologies, and improve how it enforces violations of its harassment policies. The Board says it has also asked Meta to uphold its 2021 commitment to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by engaging with stakeholders impacted by the new policies. The Board says Meta should have done so in the first place. The Oversight Board is limited in its ability to steer Meta's broader policies. However, Meta must follow its rulings on individual posts, per the company's own rules. Should Meta grant the Board a policy advisory opinion referral — something it's done a few times before — the group might have a channel to reshape Meta's content moderation. In decisions published on 11 cases concerning issues across Meta's platforms — including anti-migrant speech, hate speech targeting people with disabilities, and suppression of LGBTQIA+ voices — the Oversight Board appeared to criticize several of the new content policies Zuckerberg announced earlier this year. Meta's January policy changes did not affect the outcome of these decisions, the Board said. In two U.S. cases involving videos of transgender women on Facebook and Instagram, the Board upheld Meta's decision to leave the content up, despite user reports. However, the Board recommends that Meta remove the term "transgenderism" from its Hateful Conduct policy. The Board overturned Meta's decision to leave up three Facebook posts concerning anti-immigration riots that occurred in the U.K. during the summer of 2024. The Board found that Meta acted too slowly to remove anti-Muslim and anti-immigration content that violated the company's violence and incitement policies. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
