NGOs find Sustainable Development Goals do not adequately address private sector's accountability for human rights abuses
"Human Rights Caucus reaction to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", 23 Sep 2015
As human rights organizations and activists engaged in this process since its inception, we advocated and pushed for human rights to be at the core of the new agenda...Taking as the basis, our demands contained in the Human Rights Litmus Test developed in June 2014, we can assess how far the outcome document passes or fails the test of integrating human rights as the foundation of the new agenda. We can declare partial success in every category...
Test 1: Support human rights comprehensively, taking into consideration their universality, indivisibility and interdependence
Test 2: Ensure full transparency and meaningful participation of all people, especially the most disadvantaged, in decision-making at all levels
Test 3: Ensure human rights accountability of all development actors
Test 4: Guarantee that the private sector respects human rights
Test 5: Combat inequality and end discrimination in all its forms
Test 6: Specifically and comprehensively support girls’ and women’s rights
Test 7: Secure a minimum floor of socioeconomic well-being for all
Test 8: Ensure that any global partnerships for sustainable development are aligned with human rights