The Intrinsic Nexus Between Business and Human Rights

ABOUT AUTHOR
Tony Ojukwu Esq.
Executive Director
Nigerian Human Rights Commission

Businesses are set up primarily for profit, through organised efforts and activities aimed at the production and sale of goods and services. The activities of businesses impact the lives of people in ways that are designed to be positive. Apart from the provision of goods and services, they open up investment and employment opportunities which lead to economic development of communities and states. While businesses have an impact on how we live our lives, human rights are basic rights and freedoms that protect all persons, based on the principles of dignity, fairness, equality and respect. Both are necessary for sustainable development and none should be sacrificed while promoting the other.

In our contemporary world, businesses have become bigger and stronger as a result of technology, which enhances mass production, as well as globalisation, which promotes world free trade. Beneficial as these may be, businesses sometimes harm people, communities and the environment. These activities may have negative impacts and lead to human rights abuses which are referred to as corporate human rights abuses.  Businesses may impact human rights in various ways that include exploitation of workers, unsafe working conditions, discrimination at the workplace, environmental degradation, land grabbing and unethical business practices. A business may exploit its workers through low or unpaid wages, poor working conditions, inhumane working hours, threats, coercion and abuse or through the use of child labour. There may be issues of discrimination based on sex, colour or any other classifications that are against human rights norms and standards. Environmental challenges could arise due to poor disposal of effluents, spillages, excavations, emissions and depletion of natural resources, all of which cause damages that affect the right to food, safe water, health and safe environment. Human rights are indivisible and inter-related and so these activities lead to infringements on the right to life, dignity of the human person and a number of other fundamental human rights.

There are instances when individuals and communities’ access to land and livelihood are affected by acquisition of…

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