"All are responsible: MENA’s unregulated business arena – the need for human rights due diligence" 20 April 2022

It has been stated that ‘in a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.’ This is especially the case in the world of business, and in its interactions with governments, and even in the choices that some consumers make. All have an impact on human rights whether one is aware or not...

...As of 2020 according to the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark nearly half, over 46%, of the largest corporations in the world do not demonstrate that they are lessening or even recognizing human rights problems in their supply chains.

...Business-related human rights violations are especially overlooked in the...(MENA) region where human rights abuses are regularly occurring which has, ultimately, created a business culture that has led international corporations to neglect peoples’ wellbeing.

The UN guiding principles emphasise the need for companies to engage in human rights due diligence, which gives them the responsibility to assess and prevent any harmful impact that their business operations may have...

Additionally, businesses play a role in the regulation of human rights due to their power and influence they hold across multiple countries. Yet their authority gives some the opportunity to commit violations...

Business-related human rights abuses have been documented and discussed across organisations across the globe, more actors must understand the measures they must take to prevent further harm to employees and communities in the MENA region...

Ultimately, one of the main factors that have led many international corporations to neglect UN Guiding Principles and overlook human rights due diligence in their operations is the unregulated business environment under which they are operating...