Saturday, February 04, 2023

Closed Platform Governance--Call for inputs for (Appel a; Solicitude de) the Working Group's report on development finance institutions and human rights

 

As part of its outreach  plan, the Business and Human Rights Working Group is seeking input from a variety of sectors.  Perhaps it will inform its work; more likely it will inform it of the state of mind of those willing and able to supply input. These include the classes of actors that might have been directly asked, those who would have been invited, those who form part of cliques around highly motivated factions with specific agendas, and those with a supervisory role of the special procedures and their respective networks.  That will be helpful, however limited or curated the pool of data sources.  

Nonetheless, as usual in these types of efforts, the issue of input bias is always present. And that bias is in turn a reflection of skewing in which the universe of inputs is assumed to reflect the universe of opinion.  Sometimes skewing is a useful strategy, especially where one is attempting through effective skewing but formal neutrality, to enhance the legitimacy of conclusions or choices--or to add weight to either. Sometimes skewing is most effective at the input level.  Least helpful are efforts that effectively exclude voices that might be deemed threatening to the core agendas already embraced and that would, in that context, appear to get in the way of the forward march of objectives the trajectories of which are not subject to change. None of this matters, of course, except to the extent that what is produced from these inputs are then used as evidence of a consultation that accurately represents the positions of the universe of stakeholders, including those who voices are undervalued  or which are nowhere to be found.  

 Sometimes skewing comes at the sorting and valuation of input stage. Here it is up to the Working Group to consider and value input--and transparency in the way that is done. That transparency might in turn extend to the metrics used (qualitative, quantitative, political, social, representational, or whatever) might add a useful bit of data for those inclined to assess the assessments and conclusions produced by this highly influential and representative body. traditionally this was unnecessary--the idea here is that the representatives are vested with the authority, on behalf of the institutions they serve, to exercise discretion which one expects ought to grounded in duties of loyalty, of care, and of transparently visible good faith.

This is also neither unusual nor problematic--it sounds in the sort of politics the cultures of which are now fairly well established especially in the operations of international public bodies and their instruments. In this case the Working Group continues its  four tiered consultation harvesting framework--private meetings with selected  states, business, and civil society, 

Sessions of the Working Group are closed to the public, except for specific “public consultations”. For this session there will be no public consultation.  The Working Group will convene separate meetings with different stakeholders: 

9 February, 15:00-16:15: private meeting with States
9 February, 16:30-18:00 private meeting with Business
10 February, 15:00-16:30 private meeting with Civil Society

topped off by a general call for input. Or, in this case that call might eb made somewhat more problematic by the construction of a quite definitive territory the participants in which are specifically identified: "The Working Group seeks the input of all stakeholders (including international organisations, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, research centres, academia, lawyers, law firms, DFIs, businesses, industry associations, trade unions, human rights defenders, and indigenous peoples) to some questions.

It is however, impossible to understand the hearts or minds the passions, ambitions, visions, and agendas, of human beings.  And that is a natural risk of collective governance, as well as a reminder of those serving on behalf of others or in the service of an institutional collective whose objectives may not always align with personal desire, to be mindful of the all-to-human impulse of augment what aligns with the personal and resist or ignore that which does not. Indeed, it is to that effort that the Working Group explains the need for the general call: "In order to obtain a broad representation of views to inform the thematic report, the Working Group is seeking written contributions from all relevant actors through responses to a questionnaire." (Call for Inputs).

In that respect it may fall on the rest of us to aid our representative and influence responsive brothers and sisters in their efforts.  To that end one can only add one's voice to those of others, including our friends on the Working Group and their staff (whose hard and essential work I acknowledge here with great thanks), whose input may make a difference, or may otherwise aid those who are more sensitive to skewing in assessing and therefore weighing the value of the report produced.  

 In a sense, one can understand these efforts in contemporary terms as a closed platform governance--meaning management model. That is, it represents the construction of a well curated space where producers and consumers of solicited data (information, opinions, 'facts', etc.) can be contained within a space from which it can be used both by the platform manager (the UN special procedures, in this case), and those others who might be granted access to some to all of the data (in this case for the general public as posted to the Working Group space on the UN-Geneva website). The platform operates on at least two levels, likely three.  The most general level is that in which the general public may produce data and to some extent consume. The "private level" is limited to those invited to the private consultations. The third level would be limited to the special  procedures themselves and those higher in the hierarchy  whose consumption and production of data (the analytics and opinion formation serving as the textual foundation of conclusions and program suggestions to be articulated  in text in the form of the generated report) is of a character different from the production-consumption function at the lower levels. The ability to assess consumption and production from the outside is at best quite limited--though it is to the outside that the product of these interactions is directed (eventually) though in the first instance to the bodies of responsible public and private players with authority to transpose the product into their own governance systems int he form of public and private hard and 'soft' law-rules-policies-expectations, etc. in accordance with the governance styles of the actors. Here, automated data analytics might be useful, though it cannot effectively reach the fundamental system challenge of skewing and the out-of-platform effects and practices of politics, capacity, social structures that contribute to the production and implementation of skewing. 

The Inputs are expected by 3 March 2023. 

Email address: hrc-wg-business@un.org

Email subject line: DFIs QUESTIONNAIRE

Word limit: Maximum of 2,500 words

File formats: Word, PDF

Accepted languages: English, Spanish, French

Postal address: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,
United Nations Office at Geneva, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

The text of the Informational materials posted to the Web Page:Call for inputs for the Working Group's report on development finance institutions and human rights (English) follows below.

Call for inputs for the Working Group's report on development finance institutions and human rights

Issued by

Special Procedures

Deadline

03 March 2023

Purpose Report to be presented to the Human Rights Council in June 2023

Background

In its stocktaking exercise of the implementation of the UNGPs over the first decade since their adoption, the Working Group recognized that ‘financial actors have an unparalleled ability to influence companies and scale up on the implementation of the Guiding Principles1. With ‘financial actors’ understood here to include public DFIs as well as private sector finance institutions that often co-finance with other commercial banks and investors, these actors are central to pushing forward the realization of the UNGPs 10+ Roadmap for the next decade of business and human rights.

Considering the sustained attention that multilateral DFIs have received over the years, this report will primarily focus instead on national, sub-regional and regional DFIs, the nature of their financing of both public and private sector projects, as well as the breadth and depth of their impacts on human rights and the natural environment. In so doing, the report aims to provide practical guidance to States, DFIs, and other relevant actors on how to strengthen protection and respect for human rights through DFI financing, in line with the UNGPs.

Objectives

The report will examine the responsibility of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to respect human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).

The report will cover all three pillars of the UNGPs in the context of Development Finance Institutions and Human Rights: the duty of States to protect against human rights abuses by businesses, including when formally (or informally) linked to Institutions that provide support and services to businesses, in line with Guiding Principles 4 and 10; the responsibility of DFIs to ensure that their clients and the companies they invest in, as well as other business partners and entities in the value chain, respect human rights; and the role of DFIs in providing access to remedy to individuals and communities affected by DFI-funded projects that result in adverse human rights impacts.

This report will build on work previously undertaken by the Working Group and other organisations, such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on DFIs2, as well as on relevant Working Group’s previous reports addressing issues such as the State as an economic actor3, the financial sector and human rights4, human rights due diligence5, policy coherence, and access to remedy.6

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

The Working Group seeks the input of all stakeholders (including international organisations, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, research centres, academia, lawyers, law firms, DFIs, businesses, industry associations, trade unions, human rights defenders, and indigenous peoples) to some questions.

The questionnaire is available in English | Français | Español

How inputs will be used

In order to obtain a broad representation of views to inform the thematic report, the Working Group is seeking written contributions from all relevant actors through responses to a questionnaire.


1 A/HRC/47/39, ‘Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights at 10: taking stock of the first decade’, Report of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, pp.15-16.

Next Steps

Responses should be submitted by 3 March 2023.

Email address: hrc-wg-business@un.org

Email subject line: DFIs QUESTIONNAIRE

Word limit: Maximum of 2,500 words

File formats: Word, PDF

Accepted languages: English, Spanish, French

Postal address: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,
United Nations Office at Geneva, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

 

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Solicitud de contribuciones para el informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre instituciones financieras de desarrollo y derechos humanos

Publicado por

Special Procedures

Plazo límite

03 marzo 2023

Propósito Informe que se presentará al Consejo de Derechos Humanos en junio de 2023

Contexto

En su ejercicio de balance de la aplicación de los Principios Rectores sobre las empresas y los derechos humanos de las Naciones Unidas (Principios Rectores) durante la primera década desde su adopción, el Grupo de Trabajo reconoció que "los agentes financieros tienen una capacidad sin parangón para influir en las empresas y ampliar la aplicación de los Principios Rectores".1 Entendiendo aquí por "actores financieros" las instituciones financieras de desarrollo (IFD) públicas, así como las instituciones financieras del sector privado que a menudo cofinancian con otros bancos comerciales e inversores, estos actores son fundamentales para impulsar la realización de la hoja de ruta 10+ de los Principios Rectores para la próxima década de las empresas y derechos humanos.

Teniendo en cuenta la atención sostenida que las IFD multilaterales han recibido a lo largo de los años, este informe se centrará principalmente en las IFD nacionales, subregionales y regionales, en la naturaleza de su financiación de proyectos tanto del sector público como del privado, así como en la amplitud y profundidad de sus impactos sobre los derechos humanos y el entorno natural. De este modo, el informe pretende ofrecer orientaciones prácticas a los Estados, las IFD y otros actores relevantes sobre cómo reforzar la protección y el respeto de los derechos humanos a través de la financiación de las IFD, en consonancia con los Principios Rectores.

Objetivos

El informe examinará la responsabilidad de las IFD de respetar los derechos humanos en consonancia con los Principios Rectores.

El informe abarcará los tres pilares de los Principios Rectores en el contexto de las IFD: el deber de los Estados de proteger contra los abusos de los derechos humanos por parte de las empresas, incluso cuando están vinculadas formalmente (o informalmente) a instituciones que prestan apoyo y servicios a las empresas, en consonancia con los Principios Rectores 4 y 10; la responsabilidad de las IFD de garantizar que sus clientes y las empresas en las que invierten, así como otros socios comerciales y entidades de la cadena de valor, respetan los derechos humanos; y el papel de las IFD a la hora de proporcionar acceso a vías de recurso a las personas y comunidades afectadas por proyectos financiados por IFD que tengan como resultado impactos adversos sobre los derechos humanos.

Este informe se basará en la labor realizada anteriormente por el Grupo de Trabajo y otras organizaciones, como la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos (ACNUDH) sobre las IFD, 2 así como en los informes anteriores pertinentes del Grupo de Trabajo en los que se abordan cuestiones como el Estado como agente económico,3 el sector financiero y los derechos humanos,4 la diligencia debida en materia de derechos humanos5, la coherencia de las políticas y el acceso a los recursos.6

Preguntas clave y tipos de aportaciones/comentarios solicitados

El Grupo de Trabajo solicita aportaciones de todas las partes interesadas (incluidas las organizaciones internacionales, las instituciones nacionales de derechos humanos, las organizaciones de la sociedad civil, los centros de investigación, el mundo académico, los abogados, los bufetes de abogados, las IFD, las empresas, las asociaciones industriales, los sindicatos, los defensores de los derechos humanos y los pueblos indígenas) a las preguntas del cuestionario.

El cuestionario está disponible en English | Français | Español

Cómo se usarán las aportaciones

Con el fin de obtener una amplia representación de puntos de vista que sirvan de base al informe temático, el Grupo de Trabajo solicita contribuciones escritas de todos los actores relevantes a través de las respuestas a un cuestionario.



1/ A/HRC/47/39, "Décimo aniversario de los Principios Rectores sobre las Empresas y los Derechos Humanos: balance del primer decenio", Informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre la cuestión de los derechos humanos y las empresas transnacionales y otras empresas comerciales, pp.17-18.

2/ ACNUDH | Instituciones financieras de desarrollo (ohchr.org); https://www.ohchr.org/en/publications/policy-and-methodological-publications/remedy-development-finance (en inglès)

Próximas etapas

Las respuestas deben presentarse antes del 3 de marzo de 2023.

Correo electrónico: hrc-wg-business@un.org

Asunto del correo electrónico: DFIs QUESTIONNAIRE

Límite de palabras: Máximo de 2.500 palabras

Formatos de archivo: Word, PDF

Idiomas aceptados: English, Spanish, French

Dirección postal: Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos,
Oficina de las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra, CH 1211 Ginebra 10, Suiza

 

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Appel à contributions pour le rapport du Groupe de travail sur les institutions financières de développement et les droits de l'homme

Publié par

Special Procedures

Échéance

03 mars 2023

Objet Rapport à présenter au Conseil des droits de l'homme en juin 2023

Contexte

Dans son bilan de la mise en œuvre des Principes directeurs relatifs aux entreprises et aux droits de l’homme (Principes directeurs) au cours de la première décennie qui a suivi leur adoption, le Groupe de travail a reconnu que "les acteurs financiers disposent d’une capacité sans équivalent d’influencer les entreprises et d’accélérer les progrès de la mise en œuvre des Principes directeurs" 1. Les "acteurs financiers" comprennent ici les institutions financières de développement (IFD ) publiques ainsi que les institutions financières du secteur privé qui participent souvent au cofinancement avec d'autres banques commerciales et investisseurs. Ces acteurs sont essentiels pour faire progresser la concrétisation de la feuille de route 10+ des Principes directeurs pour la prochaine décennie des entreprises et des droits de l'homme.

Compte tenu de l'attention soutenue dont les IFD multilatérales ont fait l'objet au fil des années, ce rapport se concentrera plutôt sur les IFD nationales, sous-régionales et régionales, sur la nature de leur financement de projets du secteur public et privé, ainsi que sur l'ampleur et la profondeur de leurs impacts sur les droits de l'homme et l'environnement. Ce faisant, le rapport vise à fournir des conseils pratiques aux États, aux IFD et aux autres acteurs concernés sur la manière de renforcer la protection et le respect des droits de l'homme par le biais du financement des IFD, conformément aux Principes directeurs.

Objectifs

Le rapport examinera la responsabilité des IFD en matière de respect des droits de l'homme, conformément aux Principes directeurs des Nations unies relatifs aux entreprises et aux droits de l'homme (principes directeurs).

Le rapport traitera les trois piliers des Principes directeurs dans le contexte des IFD et les droits de l'homme: le devoir des États de protéger lorsque les entreprises portent atteinte aux droits de l'homme, y compris lorsque ces atteintes sont formellement (ou informellement) liées à des institutions qui fournissent un soutien et des services aux entreprises, conformément aux principes directeurs 4 et 10; la responsabilité des IFD de veiller à ce que leurs clients et les entreprises dans lesquelles ils investissent, ainsi que d'autres partenaires commerciaux et entités dans la chaîne de valeur, respectent les droits de l'homme; et le rôle des IFD dans l'accès à des voies de recours pour les personnes et les communautés touchées par des projets financés par les IFD qui ont des effets négatifs sur les droits de l'homme.

Ce rapport reposera sur les travaux menés précédemment par le Groupe de travail (l'État en tant qu'acteur économique 2, le secteur financier et les droits de l'homme 3, la diligence raisonnable en matière de droits de l'homme 4, la cohérence des politiques et l'accès aux voies de recours 5 ), ainsi que par d'autres organisations telles que le Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme (HCDH) sur les IFD 6.

Questions clés et types de contributions/commentaires souhaités

Le Groupe de travail sollicite la contribution de toutes les parties prenantes (y compris les organisations internationales, les institutions nationales des droits de l'homme, les organisations de la société civile, les centres de recherche, les universités, les avocats, les cabinets juridiques, les IFD, les entreprises, les associations industrielles, les syndicats, les défenseurs des droits de l'homme et les peuples autochtones) aux questions du questionnaire.

Le questionnaire est disponible en anglais | français | espagnol.

Comment les contributions seront utilisées

Afin d'obtenir une large représentation des points de vue pour alimenter le rapport thématique, le Groupe de travail sollicite des contributions écrites de tous les acteurs concernés en répondant au questionnaire.


1 A/HRC/47/39, ‘Dixième anniversaire des Principes directeurs relatifs aux entreprises et aux droits de l’homme : bilan de la première décennie d’application’, Rapport du Groupe de travail sur la question des droits de l’homme et des sociétés transnationales et autres entreprises, pp.18-19.

Prochaines étapes

La date limite de contributions est le 3 mars 2023.

Email addresse: hrc-wg-business@un.org

Objet de l'email : DFIs QUESTIONNAIRE

Limite de mots : Maximum de 2,500 mots

Format du fichier : Word, PDF

Langues acceptées : anglais, français, espagnol

Adresse postale : Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,
United Nations Office at Geneva, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

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