Interpretation provided in  English and Russian.

Brief description of the session: 
Developments in business and human rights in Central Asia, geostrategically positioned as a bridge that connects the vast Asian continent with Central and Eastern Europe, offer a valuable opportunity not only for mutual learning across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions but equally for cross-regional collaboration to tackle the pressing business-related human rights challenges faced in these two regions.

Especially in view of the recent mandatory human rights diligence developments in Europe, and specifically at the EU level, which stand to generate profound implications for States and businesses operating in Central and Eastern Europe, along with Central Asia, it is necessary for there to be an invigorated emphasis on collaborative efforts to promote and implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Indeed, multi-stakeholder dialogue is imperative to building a common understanding within both regions of the UNGPs. As highlighted in the UN Working Group’s recent report to the Human Rights Council on “Building Capacity for the Implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”, the inclusive engagement with stakeholders — in particular, the meaningful participation of individuals and communities affected by business-related human rights abuse — is likewise central to strengthening the capacity of States, businesses, investors, academia and civil society, in order to expand the business and human rights community and achieve the critical policy and regulatory momentum for the realization of the UNGPs in these two regions.

The session brings together practitioners and experts of business and human rights to distill insights from current efforts by States, businesses, and civil society to promote and implement the UNGPs, including through multi-stakeholder initiatives and the development of guidance on the various aspects of responsible business conduct. Speakers will demonstrate the importance of putting rights holders and their voices at the center of efforts to translate the UNGPs into action as a necessary part of effective human rights due diligence legislation and processes.

Key objectives of the session:

• Develop practical pathways for how the UNGPs as a policy and normative framework can be leveraged to bring States, businesses, and civil society together and generate sustainable and inclusive solutions to address business-related human rights challenges in Central and Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia;
• Discuss the anticipated implications of the EU corporate sustainability due diligence directive on non-EU countries in the two regions, and what is expected from States and businesses in the region to ensure that legal developments in Western Europe result in positive outcomes for stakeholders in Central and Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia;
• Highlight examples of emerging positive practices that have facilitated meaningful, inclusive, and effective multi-stakeholder engagement;
• Identify the key drivers and challenges for advancing UNGPs implementation in the two regions.

Additional background documents: 

• UN Working Group report on “Building Capacity for the Implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”, available at A/HRC/53/24
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) (2023). The Status of the Implementation of the UNGPs on Business and Human Rights in Europe and Central Asia. Istanbul: United Nations Development Programme. https://www.undp.org/eurasia/publications/implementation-un-guiding-principles-business-and-human-rights-ecis
• Faracik, B., Uvarova, O. (red.) (2023). How (not) to Do Business and Human Rights in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Case Studies, PIHRB WPS 1/2023, Częstochowa: Polski Instytut Praw Człowieka i Biznesu. https://pihrb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PIHRB-WPS-1-2023-How-not-to-do-business-and-human-rights-in-CEE-CA.pdf