"Feminist and cross movement support for a binding treaty against corporate abuse is key", 6 Dec 2016

In October 2016, AWID attended the 2nd session for the Intergovernmental Working Group for Transnational Corporations in Geneva, to push for a binding treaty on businesses and human rights.  Increasing evidence of the gendered impacts of corporate abuse make it imperative for feminists, women human rights defenders (WHRD’s) and Women’s Rights Organizations challenging corporate power...There is proposal to have an international legally binding instrument...The proposal, currently under study of an open-ended intergovernmental working group (IGWG) working within the UN Human Rights Council has the support from several countries and civil society activists. The treaty negotiations provide a unique opportunity for citizens and states to address the gaps that currently exist within the Investor-State Dispute mechanisms...This mechanism has made it very difficult for governments to regulate corporate operations in the interest of their citizens...Among the challenges ahead is to ensure the text of the treaty does not fall short of ambition. The treaty needs to have clear implementation mechanism to be more than mere words on paper...