“Workers' rights | ISHR launches bilingual explainer on rights of workers exposed to toxic substances”, 4 May 2020

To recognise International Labour Day, and the critical contributions of essential workers everywhere, ISHR is publishing a guide in English and Chinese to the 15 Principles developed by the UN expert on human rights and hazardous substances…

In September 2019, the current independent expert [Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes], Baskut Tuncak, presented a set of 15 key principles compiling existing international standards and obligations, with a view to end the exploitation of workers through their exposure to toxic substances…

These principles are designed to help States and companies to meet their obligations, including overseas, to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of workers, and to prevent their exposure to toxic substances. They aim at empowering workers to know and exercise their individual and collective rights to information, participation and assembly, and to access effective remedies for them and their communities.

China continues to be ‘the world’s factory’, a fact made ever more apparent during the current response to the COVID-19 pandemic… However, transparency in supply chains and respect for the full range of workers’ rights remain huge problems in the country…

To support workers and their allies, ISHR has produced an explainer in English and Chinese summarising these 15 Principles; highlighting the role of governments, companies, and trade unions; and providing workers with a set of actionable recommendations to implement them. For Chinese advocates, ISHR has produced a ‘tailored’ version that includes additional information about the UN expert’s inquiries into management of hazardous substances and workers’ rights situation in China, as well as a table to help workers, trade union officials and advocates understand how Chinese law currently reflects these principles.