abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

2 Dec 2013

Author:
Lord Dholakia, Lord Phillips of Sudbury, Sir Nigel Rodley, Kirsty Brimelow QC - Chair of Bar Human Rights Committee, Nick Fluck - President of Law Society, Martyn Day - Leigh Day, Carla Ferstman - Director of REDRESS, Maura McGowan QC - Chairman of the Bar, Phil Lynch - Director, International Service for Human Rights & 12 other lawyers

[DOC] The UK Government must ensure that victims of abuse perpetrated overseas are able to access justice in the UK

[W]e urge the UK Government to live up to its commitment to ensure that victims of corporate human rights abuses perpetrated overseas are able to access justice in the UK courts…[I]t remains extremely difficult for court cases against multinationals to proceed in many of the countries where the alleged abuses occurred. It is therefore essential that such cases can be brought in the home states of the companies concerned…[G]overnments unanimously agreed to address this problem when they endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights…As home to some of the world’s largest multinationals, the UK ought to have led the way in delivering on this obligation. Instead, the Government went ahead with changes to the court costs regime, which means it is now far more difficult to bring such cases in this country…

Timeline