"LEGALLY BINDING INSTRUMENT TO REGULATE, IN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, THE ACTIVITIES OF TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND OTHER BUSINESS ENTERPRISES"

The trade unions welcome the publication of the second revised draft of the Legally Binding Instrument by the Chairmanship of the Open-ended Inter-governmental Working Group (OEIGWG). With the COVID-19 pandemic once again exposing the fragility of global supply chains and business models built on non-standard forms of employment and informality, the Legally Binding Instrument represents a unique opportunity to end the impunity for corporate human rights abuses...

We welcome, among other things, the strengthening of the gender dimension throughout the text, including the requirement for business enterprises to integrate a gender perspective, in consultation with potentially impacted women and women's organizations, during the entire human rights due diligence process...

Another signifcant improvement in the second revised draft is a provision that explicitly requires States to ensure that any existing or new trade and investment agreements are compatible with the human rights obligations under the Legally Binding Instrument. However, we believe that a supplementary article that obligates States to integrate a binding and enforceable human rights and labour clause in trade and investment agreements will further boost the case for sustainable trade and development...

While we welcome the expanded scope of human rights protected under the Legally Binding Instrument, it is essential that respect for fundamental principles and rights at work is divorced from the requirement to ratify Core ILO Conventions...