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A Landmark Step in the Run-Up to a Binding Treaty to End Corporate Abuses

15 July 2015

From 6 July to 10 July, representatives from States across the world gathered in Geneva for a week long first session of the intergovernmental working group (IGWG) towards a Treaty on Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises with regards to human rights. This was the start of a series of negotiations that will lead to a legally binding treaty framing the work of transnational companies and finally making them unable to violate human rights with impunity. WILPF attended this meeting to make sure this happens.

What WILPF did

WILPF submitted four statements to the IGWG in order to ensure that a gender perspective is duly taken in the elaboration of the treaty. We also highlighted that special attention must be given to linkages between corporations’ activities and armed conflicts and to the fact that corporations may violate human rights in contexts of instability or armed conflict.

We also supported that all human rights and that all companies (transnational and domestic) should be in the scope of the treaty in order to comprehensively address corporate responsibility. WILPF will continue to actively advocate in order to ensure that these aspects are taken up in the treaty.

In addition, we co-organised two side events at the United Nations on 6 and 7 July. The first one focused on the impact of transnational corporations and other businesses on grassroots communities, and the second one discussed the need for international regulation from the perspective of social movements. Read our blog “Side Events Place The Spotlight on Human Rights Abuses by Transnational Corporations and The Need for International Regulation” to learn more about these events.

Overall, a positive and historical outcome

Despite the EU’s attempt to block the work programme of the IGWG on the first day, civil society representatives, participating States and legal experts managed to engage in fruitful debates, while acknowledging differences of opinions and putting key issues upfront for discussion. The experts’ discussions clearly demonstrated the need for a treaty to overcome the existing voids under international human rights law impeding the sanction of corporate abuses and access to justice to victims.

The goal of the first two sessions (2015 and 2016) is to do a brainstorming and to test the different positions from States. We believe this session showed a great mobilisation from civil society organisations and the quality of their in-depth inputs and practical experiences enriched the democratic debate and concretely demonstrated the urgency of a binding treaty to prevent and remedy corporate human rights abuses.

Next session (2016) should bring a wide involvement of States and show a clear commitment to end abuses by corporations.

But, most Western States look the other way

Only nine out of the 28 EU Member States attended the discussions on the first day. Switzerland was present in the meeting as an observer and did not speak on substance. France also participated for the whole week but inexplicably remained silent. The US and Canada simply practiced the empty chair policy for the whole duration of the IGWG. The absence of wealthy countries home to the world’s largest transnational corporations is shameful and raises questions regarding states’ commitments to uphold human rights over business interests. Their involvement in the process and support to the treaty remains a major challenge for the future. WILPF will advocate in order to positively engage them in the next steps.

How you can be part of the action

Sign our petition! Many countries, in particular within the EU, have diametrically opposed being part of this process and have not attended the IGWG. In order to keep putting pressure on EU Member States to uphold their commitments to human rights, we have created petitions calling on the governments of the UK, the US, Italy, France, Germany and Spain to take positive action. Read our blog “Protecting human rights from transnational companies: WILPF’s petition” to learn more.

 

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Berit Aasen

Europe Alternate Regional Representative

Berit Aasen is a sociologist by training and has worked at the OsloMet Metropolitan University on Oslo. She has 40 years of experience in research and consultancy in development studies, including women, peace, and security, and in later years in asylum and refugee studies. Berit Aasen joined WILPF Norway five years ago. She is an alternate member of the National Board of WILPF Norway, and representing WILPF Norway in the UN Association of Norway, the Norwegian 1325 network and the Norwegian Women’s Lobby. Berit Aasen has been active in the WILPF European Liaison group and is committed to strengthening WILPF sections and membership both in Europe and relations across continents.

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.