Chile

By Daniel Morris | 28. November 2017

Pillar 1: The State Duty to Protect Human Rights

Strand 3: Inclusion and Non-Discrimination

Action Point 3.2 (page 35-36): The Ministry of Social Development will:

Prepare, through the Division of Social Policy of the Under-Secretariat of Social Evaluation, a statistical report about the socio-economic situation of risk groups including migrants, youth, disabled people, women and indigenous peoples, based on the Socio-Economic Qualification (SEQ) including income generated by work, capital and pensions, contained in the Household Social Register, divided by territory (regional division). This has the purpose of having available information regarding vulnerable groups within certain territory.

Strand 8: Legislation, Policies and Incentives

Action Point 8.1. (page 49): The Ministry of Economy will support the legal provision committed in the Agenda for Productivity, Innovation and Growth seeking to create a legal framework for social business enterprises, by encouraging the incorporation of business and human rights criteria.

Action Point 8.2. (page 49): The Ministry of Energy will identify, promote and design the necessary mechanisms to implement the local development policy concerning energy projects. Among other things, the policy includes measures to support the assessment of impacts on the human rights of communities, and mechanisms to resolve the disputes that may arise between communities and business enterprises, within the context of the development of energy projects.

Strand 9: State Business Enterprises

Action Point 9.3 (page 50)

To strengthen coordination between the Ministries forming part of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group, amplify the impact of this Action Plan, and make known its progress, the Group will carry out the following actions: …

2. Encourage the adoption of policies, statements or codes of conduct by business enterprises and urge the implementation of mechanisms of due diligence.

Pillar 2: The Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights

Strand 1: Contextual Issues: Preparation of Documents allowing Business Enterprises to Understand the Local Context and the Risks of Potential Negative Impacts on Human Rights

Action Point 1.3 (page 53): The National Health Institute will coordinate, with expert support, the preparation of a study about the impact of the pharmaceutical industry.

Strand 2: Promotion of Corporate Due Diligence in the Field of Human Rights

Action Point 2.2 (pages 55-56): The Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism will:

  • Hold a working group meeting at least once each semester with the Division of Social Economy and Associativity and the Division of Smaller Business Enterprises, with the purpose of identifying the impact of human rights in the management of businesses such as cooperatives and SMEs, and of incorporating the vision of human rights and business enterprises within this type of economic associations. Based on the activities of the working groups, sector guides will be developed to evaluate compliance with human rights issues, with special emphasis on the management of supply chains. …
  • Support the Ministry of Energy in the development of a Guide about the impact of projects on local communities, seeing to the integration of business and human rights standards into the development of projects within communities and, particularly, containing best practices about due diligence in human rights-related issues. …
  • Subscribe in 2017 to an agreement with a technical, specialised body to develop a system to diagnose and measure the impact of small and medium size enterprises on human rights, through a digital tool of public access.

Pillar 3: Access to Redress Mechanisms

Action Point 2.5 (page 62): Within the framework of the Local Development Policy of the Ministry of Energy, the following actions will be carried out: …

  • Promotion of formal and permanent spaces for dialogue between business enterprises and communities, whereby potential impacts may become known and
    the relevant measures may be taken. For smooth operation of these spaces for dialogue, the public sector will promote the availability of a record of advisors and facilitators to be used by communities, and a Symmetry Fund allowing to finance such advisors or facilitators.