On February 14, 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights consulted with stakeholders on the Working Group’s most recent report concerning the U.N. Guiding Principles. Specifically, this round-table focused on indigenous peoples and business and human rights issues. The specific stakeholders include indigenous peoples, States, business enterprises, and other organizations. Although no proceeding have come out (that I can find) these are the issues that were placed on the agenda:
“1) Focus: What specific issues and challenges should the Working Group take into account in drafting this report?
2) Existing guidance and standards: What existing standards and documents should the Working Group take into account in drafting this report?
3) Existing practices and initiatives: What existing practices and initiatives should the Working Group take into account in drafting this report?
4) What focused insight can the Working Group bring to the issue of business impacts on indigenous peoples, given the role and thematic scope of other UN bodies on the rights of indigenous people?”
I’m looking forward to hearing what the outcome of the proceedings are . The groups and peoples that have been invited to participate all have their own agendas and interests. While I think this trend is changing, I think that traditionally indigenous peoples have not been invited to participate in a conversation of this magnitude about business and human rights. Some of the questions that this meeting raises touch on business and human rights paradigms but also crosses literature on other topics and other disciplines. Specifically, while the actions of the corporations certainly affect indigenous communities,how do you address the diverse nature of each of the communities. While some of the issues that are being face exist across cultures, many of t hem are specific to the State where these indigenous communities are located, sometimes even within state. Is the report seeking to address these issues in the specific or is it trying to achieve a more universal framework? Will the outcome of this report reflect a general consensus, unanimity or dissension?
Needless to say, I’m looking forward to seeing the final report.
