"Business as usual on human rights?", 15 May 2015

The battle continues for a binding United Nations treaty to curb human rights violations by transnational businesses. An intergovernmental working group will meet in Geneva this July to present the pros and cons of such a treaty...It will be interesting to watch how the official Indian position is articulated. This considers the fact that the government back home has displayed zeal in dealing with matters of business and human rights...Last June, at the 26th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, India voted yes to “establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group with the mandate to elaborate an international legally binding instrument on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with respect to human rights”...It won’t be surprising if India now begins a drift to the side of the developed nations in this matter.There is already criticism about the idea of such a binding instrument...The July meeting will provide some indication as to India, and the world’s direction.