The Zambia National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights was developed by the Zambia Human Rights Commission, with support from the Danish Institute for Human Rights...The Baseline provides a comprehensive account of the status of human rights with regards to business activities in Zambia. [Below are the highlights on key findings and recommendations]:

• The human rights impact of agriculture, especially the use of 'casual' workers, child labour on tobacco farms and non-compliance with labour laws, have received considerable attention, and continue to be a concern for Zambian citizens and policy makers…
• The Zambian Government has taken no deliberate steps to implement the Guiding Principles...
• No statutory body provides guidance to companies on the implementation of the Guiding Principles or other international business and human rights standards or frameworks
• Despite evidence that public and private security forces have used excessive force in connection with the extractive industries, Zambia is not a member of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights...
• Zambia has not supported or adopted the Guiding Principles on Large Scale Land Based Investments in Africa
• Government commitment to soft law instruments have not been fully implemented in domestic law...
• The Government has not developed legislation, policy or other measures to ensure that local communities benefit from revenues generated from business operations in their areas...
• ...[M]ost State agencies [are] under-resourced to implement their mandates to prevent and address human rights abuses...the law complies with international standards, but weak enforcement means that human rights abuses by companies are  not investigated, addressed and remediated
• Develop  and implement a policy stating that State-owned enterprises must respect human rights and are obligated to exercise human rights due diligence outlined in the Guiding Principles
• The Government does not assess the potential human rights implications of outsourcing the delivery of public services to private providers...