Background & Development Challenges

Business and Human Rights project (B+HR) is a regional program aimed at promoting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in Asia through multi-country efforts focused on advocacy, policy development, technical advisory support, capacity building, awareness raising, innovation platforms, regional peer learning events, and South-South cooperation. This is a collaboration between governments, civil society, businesses, and other stakeholders to ensure that human rights are protected and respected in business operations and their supply chains and therefore contributing to inclusive economic growth and environmental sustainability which pave the way for achievement of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The program is supported by the European Union. The project directly contributed to CPD outcome 3.

Rapid economic growth has led to significant reductions in poverty and new opportunities for decent work and income enhancement. However, growing concerns over rising inequality and a host of environmental challenges, is focusing attention on the inherent risks and costs of growth. Migrant labor exploitation, forced labor, land rights abuses and seemingly irreversible environmental harms, among other impacts, are now recognized for the negative, long-term implications these risks pose to people, the planet and renewed levels of prosperity. 

Given these circumstances, Business and Human Rights project will work to promote the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) through National Action Plans, policy discussions and awareness raising programmes in six countries—India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand—while strengthening policy coherence, access to remedy, and emerging corporate governance standards involving human rights due diligence.