IntLawGrrls members and readers will want to know that, on July 30, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre in London launched a new online portal to all of the work of UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, Professor John Ruggie.This free portal, which is available here and can also be reached via the Resource Center homepage, includes all of Professor Ruggie’s reports to the UN Human Rights Council, papers, speeches, materials on his consultations with stakeholders, and commentaries. The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs deserves appreciation for making a grant to fund the new portal.
In the press release about the launch, Professor Ruggie said:
This portal is an indispensable tool that enables real-time exchange of information and dialogue to take place between the mandate and stakeholders all over the world. It constitutes our own version of an ongoing global town-hall meeting, where everyone can be heard and participate in the strengthening of the international human rights regime as it relates to business.According to its website, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre tracks the human rights impacts (positive & negative) of 4500 companies in over 180 countries. Issues include discrimination, labour rights, security & conflict zones, killings, torture, displacement, environmental abuses affecting human health, access to medicines, poverty and development. The site is updated hourly and receives 1.5 million hits per month. Mary Robinson chairs its 80-member International Advisory Network.
