As our world becomes more "globalized" and all sorts of countries, large and small, are continuously drawn into this relentless race to the bottom, thousands, if not millions, are left behind, and many businesses -- the majority of which are to blame -- couldn't care less. A recent report from Human Rights Watch, however, suggests that human rights is everyone's business, including businesses.
You can read more about the report here:
www.humanrightswatch.org/engli...87.htm
Since corporations can -- in some cases -- dealt with as individual, particularly by government entities, should they be charged with human rights abuses?
You can read more about the report here:
www.humanrightswatch.org/engli...87.htm
Since corporations can -- in some cases -- dealt with as individual, particularly by government entities, should they be charged with human rights abuses?
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Miami
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Re: Should Human Rights be Included in Global Corporate Law?
Tue, March 18, 2008 - 4:33 AMYes but one step at a time. Sometimes a toothless law is worse than no law.
A good first step would be in relation to labor law and environmental rules for inspection and standards of workplace and industry.
Level some of those playing fields and force all global corporate entities to a closer single standard of conduct with respect to the workers, the conditions they work under, and the manner that industry treats the environment both for waste products and manufacturing. -
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Re: Should Human Rights be Included in Global Corporate Law?
Tue, March 18, 2008 - 8:12 PMLazarus,
Are you saying that these laws should be implemented or should they be enforced? It's my understanding that international labor, environmental, and workplace laws are already in place. My only confusion is whether or not they are under the auspices of the WTO or the United Nations. I'm not sure if someone could clarify this, or perhaps I should do more research.
At any rate, what I'm speaking of is some form of tribunal that will "hear" corporate-abuse cases, such as, what we have for human rights abuses under the international courts system. -
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Re: Should Human Rights be Included in Global Corporate Law?
Wed, March 19, 2008 - 8:15 PM"Lazarus,
Are you saying that these laws should be implemented or should they be enforced? It's my understanding that international labor, environmental, and workplace laws are already in place. My only confusion is whether or not they are under the auspices of the WTO or the United Nations. I'm not sure if someone could clarify this, or perhaps I should do more research."
Enforcement is a big issue not only in terms of *policing policy* but the cost of it and who pays. Yes laws do exist but they tend to be toothless if the participating nation does not enforce them.
Who watches the watchers when we hire the wolves to herd the sheep?
The UN is already relying on NATO as it *enforcement arm* but the World Court dose take cases and some can even be enforced in domestic courts in nations like ours that can use them to enforce labor and safety laws abroad as well as criminal conduct. But the ability to make good on that access is very difficult and more importantly costly. IOW's the poor have little recourse to civil protections that already exist and I find the problem lies there rather than in more laws that go unenforced.
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