“Brazil will engage with group to establish treaty on businesses and human rights”, 3 Jun 2015

Brazil's government outlined its plans to engage with an intergovernmental working group (IGWG) to develop a binding treaty on business and human rights. Three governmental bodies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the Secretary on Human Rights of the Presidency…are involved in shaping Brazil's national positions ahead of July's meeting of the IGWG in Geneva…The plans were discussed at a meeting with a Brazilian Civil Society coalition…and Brazilian government representatives…Coalition members stressed the importance of avoiding corporate capture…and urged government representatives to focus on the scope of the treaty and the need to respond concretely on access to justice for victims of abuse…Brazil abstained in last year's vote to establish an IGWG to elaborate a binding treaty for businesses and human rights…