Belgium

Action Point 19

Promote best practice of SMEs that adopt responsible supply chain management, especially through the « CSR Compass » tool

Promouvoir les bonnes pratiques des PME qui adoptent une gestion de la chaine d’approvisionnement responsable, notamment grâce à l’outil « CSR Compass »

The NAP broadly mentions children’s rights in relation to the CSR Compass: “By highlighting child labor and forced labor as main issues, the portal also addresses human rights.”

Action point 24

Pay special attention to the issue of children’s rights in awareness raising of enterprises

Accorder une attention particulière à la question des droits de l’enfant dans la sensibilisation des entreprises

According to the Belgian federal government, “the area of children’s rights have not been enshrined in the UNGPs to the extent they find necessary to address businesses responsibility to respect human rights.” Belgium wants “to give special attention to this particular issue in its NAP by engaging through several parallel measures:

  • Systematic reference in international fora and bilaterally to concerned States on the ratification of Conventions Nos. 138 (on minimum age) and 182 (on the worst forms of child labor) of the ILO.
  • Active support and awareness raising of companies on the Principles governing enterprises in the field of children’s rights, in order to allow Belgian companies to maximize the positive effects of their activities on the lives of children by supporting and respecting their rights and those of their parents or guardians, including the right to a decent wage.
  • Continued support to UNICEF activities, including the publication of the reading guide for the Committee on the Rights of the Child’s Observation No. 16 and the creation of a platform for businesses that wish to commit to the basis of the Principles governing businesses in the field of children’s rights.
  • Emphasis on children’s rights in awareness building throughout the network of Belgian diplomacy, particularly through active distribution of the Principles governing businesses in the area of children’s rights in the Toolbox set out in Action Point 1.
  • Ratification of the Protocol of 2014 to the ILO Convention on Forced Labor.”

The Flemish government added that “with the support of Flemish authorities, UNICEF Belgium aims to raise awareness on how important the role of the business community plays already, and to present a new perspective to better support CEOs, managers and workers on a wider scale, the “Rights of the child and principles governing the enterprises,” developed by UNICEF and Save the Children.” They mention that policy-makers also play a role in this field. As a second objective, the Flemish government “wants to develop networks and partnerships on the theme of these Guidelines. Dissemination is the first step of a long-during process, in which concrete actions and events will be established accordingly, in order to promote of the Guidelines and their implementation in Flanders, Belgium and beyond.”

Action point 33

Import, export and transit of arms, ammunition, military and law enforcement equipment and dual-use goods

Importation, exportation et transit d’armes, de munitions, de matériel militaire et de maintien de l’ordre et de biens à double usage

This states that Flemish regulations explicitly prohibits the export and transit of arms and military equipment to countries that incorporate child soldiers to their regular armies.