The Center is working to establish new human rights standards that apply specifically to MDBs. Multilateral Development Banks and their member countries have international legal obligations to ensure that their activities respect the human rights of local communities. International law is very explicit regarding the human rights obligations of countries, and increasingly law is being developed to govern the activities of multinational businesses. Similarly, there is a need for the United Nations and other international human rights bodies to clarify the human rights standards that are specifically applicable to MDBs. These new standards would provide a binding legal framework to ensure that MDBs are accountable for their human rights impacts.
- Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ first-ever report on Business and Human Rights (November 2019) *Spanish only
- Comments on the Zero Draft Treaty on Business and Human Rights (February 2019)
- Submission to the 3rd Session of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights (October 2017)
- Working Group’s Chairperson Paper on Elements for the Draft Legally Binding Instrument on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with respect to Human Rights (September 2017)
- Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises (October 2016)
- Submission to the 2nd Session of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights (October 2016)
- Submission to the 1st Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights on the future instrument’s scope and content (July 2015)
- Appropriations Act sets new precedent for recognizing indigenous rights (January 2014)
- Oral Statement on rights to development to the 24th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (October 2013) TEXT
- Oral Statement on rights to development to the 24th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (October 2013) VIDEO
- International Legal Standards for the World Bank and other Multilateral Development Banks, Written Statement presented to the 24th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (August 2013) TEXT
- UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Demands that World Bank and Regional Development Banks Implement UN Declaration (June 2013)
- Leonardo A. Crippa, Multilateral Development Banks and Human Rights Responsibility, 25 AM. U. INT’L. REV. 549 (June 2010)
- Center’s Principles of International Law for Multilateral Development Banks: the Obligation to Respect Human Rights (January 2009)