Protect human rights in trans-boundary investments: the message from the 2018 SEA conference on Human Rights and Business," 13 September 2018

Delegates at the 8th Southeast Asian regional conference on Human Rights and Business in Chiang Khong, Thailand have released the Mekong Statement, committing ourselves to strengthening collaboration on confronting human rights abuses related to business activities in the region and calling for change in the region to better protect human rights.

On the final day, the discussion turned to solutions.

Alongside making their own commitment to continued collaboration on these issues, conference delegates issued a statement calling for the private sector and governments to push forwards effective responses to negative impacts of business investment, including through strengthening the mandates and independence of NHRIs in the region, and through effective sharing of information and strategies to help individual cases achieve redress and resolution.

Although the conference heard many stories of significant human rights violations, including violations to collective land and resource rights, participants also heard of inspiring and new strategies to hold businesses accountable, and in the best cases, to work with business to better mitigate risks and ensure human rights in investment projects.