Gender lens to the UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights briefing

In this briefing, ACT Alliance sets out its analysis and recommendations concerning the UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights ahead of the negotiations taking place in October 2019. 

Business principles do not always converge with human rights principles. In various dimensions, from violence against women, to women’s economic participation, to tax, trade and investment, the gendered disparities are not resolved uniquely by market participation and growth dynamics.

In fact, the growth-based model often puts women and other individuals who are marginalised in disadvantageous positions, ie, trapped in poverty, in unequal power relations and subject to abuse and violence.

We believe that in order to ensure respect for human rights, we need binding rules on business and human rights at all levels, including respect for human rights, conducting meaningful human rights due diligence and adequate reporting, as well as access to remedy for victims of human rights abuses.