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https://theconversation.com/big-companies-profit-from-poverty-but-arent-obliged-to-uphold-human-rights-international-law-must-change-scholar-241398>
"There is some disagreement among legal practitioners and scholars about
whether corporations have duties under international law.
Many argue that only states are bound by international law, and it is those
states which are obliged to regulate how businesses operate within their
borders. Corporations have only a voluntary responsibility to avoid committing
human rights violations through their operations.
I have been doing research in the area of corporate accountability for human
rights violations since 2006. My most recent paper looks at the role of
multinational corporations (multinationals) in benefiting from and perpetuating
structural poverty in the global south.
I argue that international law can no longer exempt corporations from liability
for human rights violations, including those arising from poverty. Under
certain circumstances, corporations should have duties under international law
to ensure human rights are fulfilled. I argue that this is particularly true
when it comes to socio-economic rights such as the rights to housing,
education, food, water and healthcare.
International human rights law must be developed to impose duties directly on
multinational corporations to alleviate poverty in the developing countries
where they operate.
This is not an absolute duty – it would only arise in certain circumstances and
for specific periods of time, as I show in my paper."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
