Announcement of Event organized by OHCHR’s Business and Human Rights Section on The Urgency of Helpdesks on Business and Human Rights (24 November 2025)

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 I have written in the past about the effort of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to create a sort of guidance apparatus for enterprises attempting to navigate the flexible borders and pathways of the UNGP, and especially those around human rights due diligence systems (see, (1) Establishing Effective Helpdesks on Business and Human Rights: Initial Consideration of the Challenges and Opportunities Suggested in OHCHR Human Rights Helpdesk Proposal; (2) Establishing Effective Helpdesks on Business and Human Rights 26 June 2024, 14-15h Palais des Nations, Room XXII (in-person only) and Call for Inputs; (3) Coalition for Peace & Ethics: Input Statement for OHCHR UNGP Helpdesk Initiative.

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The project is an important contribution to the soft efforts to develop methods of capacity building around human rights due diligence specifically and the UNGP more generally.  At the same time while this guidance will be informed, it ought not necessarily be taken as authoritative, even if it is persuasive. The reason is simple: the UNGP was framed in a way to develop substantial flexibility and variation in its approaches. Within its construction and normative premises a host of choices may be made in conformity with the spirit and letter of the principles.  The U.N. and its apparatus, like the special procedures hovering around the interpretive enterprise (most critically the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights), like other interested actors, has developed a quite public set of political objectives around what may "best" be extracted from the UNGP and how it might "best" be instrumentalized toward those politically chosen ends. These are informed by the normative premises that shape the work of officials, especially those connected to the UN's Geneva apparatus (and those who want to be seen as useful to that apparatus). Those premises and the way they are translated into choices for fulfillment may not be universally shared, nor need they be! Still, all fair; all good faith efforts to advance normative agendas--and all perhaps persuasive--but not binding. Still capacity building that is informed by the limits and agendas of the capacity providers is always to be welcomed in advancing the UNGP project. And indeed, there is no reason that other organizations may not also institute their own Help Desk projects. Perhaps that is a project that the UN OHCHR might also champion. And, indeed, automating the help Desk function--including providing translation based services might well provide a basis for future development that focuses on capacity building rather than instruction on politically preferred choices or approaches. 

With that as background I am delighted to pass along an invitation sent by the marvelous Ben Shea, Human Rights Officer, Business and Human Rights Section, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights around an event designed to further effort to make the UNGP Help Desk a reality. 

It is my pleasure to invite you to an event organized by OHCHR’s Business and Human Rights Section on The Urgency of Helpdesks on Business and Human Rights, taking place on Monday, 24 Nov. 2025 @ 13:30 - 14:30 in Palais des Nations, Room VIII (Building A, 3rd floor).

This event will officially launch the OHCHR Business and Human Rights Helpdesk, a free, confidential resource available to all stakeholders to seek official OHCHR positions on the meaning and application of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Please join us to learn more about the initiative and our plans, and to share your views on how the helpdesk can best serve States, business, civil society, rights holders and others.

Feel free to share this invitation with your colleagues and networks, and please kindly RSVP in advance to confirm your attendance.

Please consider participating if you can.