UK – IP

The UK 2016 Updated NAP

2. The State Duty to Protect Human Rights

The existing UK legal and policy framework

Government commitments [page 11]

(vi) Consider new project activity on raising awareness and tackling the negative impacts of business activity, including on the human rights of groups like indigenous peoples…by tasking our diplomatic missions in countries where these are concerns.

(viii) Continue to work through our embassies and high commissions to support human rights defenders working on issues related to business and human rights in line with EU Guidelines on human rights defenders.

3. Government expectations of business [page 14]

  1. The UNGPs guide the approach UK companies should take to respect human rights wherever they operate. The key principles of this approach are to:

consult people who may potentially be affected at all stages of project design and implementation, in a manner that ensures free and informed participation and takes into account language and other potential barriers to effective engagement, paying particular attention to indigenous peoples…

4.Access to remedy for human rights abuses resulting from business activity

Government commitments

Case study- Supporting human rights defenders in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil [page 22]

The UK supported International Service for Human Rights to deliver an intensive training and advocacy programme for human rights defenders working on issues relating to business and human rights in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil. ISHR also created a toolkit to equip human rights defenders to engage with and influence business and supported an advocacy mission to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for the purpose of briefing diplomats and decision makers on the situation of human rights defenders working on issues of business and human rights in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico and obtaining recommendations in that regard.