3 days ago
Forum calls for stronger human rights at work
MUSCAT: The Business and Human Rights Forum, organised by the Oman Human Rights Commission, concluded its second day with a set of recommendations aimed at embedding fairness, transparency and a culture of human rights within business practices and policies.
Held from July 8 to 9, in cooperation with the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, the forum aligns with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; and Oman Vision 2040, which emphasises a sustainable economy built on empowerment, participation and accountability.
The forum brought together representatives from government agencies, private sector institutions, civil society organisations, UN offices in Oman, academic institutions and experts in human rights and corporate governance. Over two days, participants engaged in five main sessions featuring 16 working papers on human rights issues in the business sector.
Key recommendations included integrating human rights in business-related curricula at private universities and colleges, developing ethical codes within private companies to empower employees in promoting and protecting human rights; and adopting the UN Principles on Business and Human Rights in corporate policies along with monitoring mechanisms.
Further recommendations called for sharing best practices among entities applying human rights standards, particularly in supply chains, publishing related reports to enhance transparency and raising community awareness on respecting human rights and sustainable development in the workplace.
Additional points focused on encouraging private companies to launch human rights initiatives, promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market and fostering a culture of human rights among law enforcement agencies in commercial judicial processes.
The forum also urged greater private sector participation in future events to share experiences and address challenges.
It concluded with a call to continue holding the forum regularly and to develop an executive plan with dedicated programmes to make business and human rights an integral part of the workplace.
