Interpretation provided in English and SpanishBrief description of the session: This Forum session is part of the Forum track on trends and challenges in promoting business respect for human rights in the context of each region of the world. Building on the sessions on government action on the Forum’s first day and the 4th Regional Consultation in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) (3-4 September, Santiago de Chile), the region focused discussions aim to take a closer look at how to overcome key business-related human rights challenges faced in LAC countries and lessons learned from emerging governments, business and civil society action.
In the framework of this year’s Forum theme, “
Time to act: Governments as catalysts for business respect for human rights”, the LAC session will address challenges and emerging practices
[JEG1] for fostering wider and more coherent actions and initiatives to promote business respect for human rights. The session will also feature the new Responsible Business Conduct in LAC (RBC LAC) project; providing an update on the activities and hearing the views/suggestions from different concerned stakeholders with respect to activities and priorities.
Objectives of the session: - Facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue around lessons learned and the way forward, including on how to scale up wider and more coherent actions, to promote business respect for human rights
- Strengthen a race to the top among governments and business in the region
- Exchange views and suggestions with regard to the activities/priorities envisioned under the RBC LAC project
The session is chaired by the member of the UN Working Group, Dante Pesce
AgendaA. 10: 30-11:10- RBC LAC ProjectPresentation of LAC project: OHCHR, OECD and ILO
B. 11:10- 11.50: Stakeholder reflections: Are we making progress?
Kick-off remarks on the progress in the region: Elin Wrzoncki, Danish Institute on Business and Human Rights, and Mauricio Lazala, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre - ( 7 min)
- Academic sector perspective
- Indigenous representatives
- Civil society perspective
- Business
C. 11:50-12:30: Government panelThis part of the session will provide a space for Government representatives to discuss the diverse pathways being followed by countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to promote responsible business conduct. This roundtable involving governments from different countries of the region will offer an opportunity to hear the perspectives of Government representatives on the way forward to step up Government leadership for action on business and human rights, sharing experiences from
[JEG2] practice, challenges and existing and potential opportunities.
D. 12.30-13: 00 : Interactive dialogue. Looking forward, how to make progress in collaboration and can a shared vision of challenges and action be identified?
