About the Seminar

The III International Seminar on Human Rights and Business is part of a series of events that have been organized in recent years by Homa - Human Rights and Business Centre of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil. In 2016, it will take place in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil, from 27 to 29 April, aiming to bring together national and international experts in the field along with leaders and activists of social movements, NGOs, trade unions and other social players involved with the protection of human rights and the defense against violations by companies.

The event will address relevant issues in the current scenario of discussion on Human Rights and Business, such as:

- The process of elaboration of an international binding instrument on Human Rights and Business;
- The process of development and international consulting of the People’s Treaty;
- The process of implementation of the Guiding Principles and its application through National Action Plans;
- The impact of mining and its relation with human rights violations;
- Resistance movements and confrontation mechanisms against human rights abuses in its multiple dimensions;
- Public Funding, Large Enterprises and Human Rights Violations.

Homa – Human Rights and Business Centre

Created in February 2012 and running with support from the Ford Foundation since its establishment, Homa is an academic centre that aims to develop research in the area of Human Rights and Business, always seeking to contribute to the protection and defense of human rights, which is why these always comes before "Business" on its name. Currently, the centre is organized into three core research lines:

· Global Agenda on Human Rights and Business: Analyzes the application and implementation of the Guiding Principles in Brazil, the development of the Brazilian National Action Plan and the Process of development of an International Binding Instrument on Human Rights and Business;

· Public Funding and Large Enterprises: Analyzes public funding for large companies and enterprises that violate Human Rights and the responsibility of the funding entities for such violations;

· Mechanisms of confrontation against Human Rights Violations by Companies: Investigates specific cases of human rights violations by companies in Brazil; Researches collaborative tools of judicial resistance for victims of human rights violations by companies in Brazil.

Panelists

The seminar will be attended by national and international experts on the subject, from both the academic world, members of non-governmental organizations, representatives of States and victims of human rights violations by companies. The following guests have confirmed their participation in the event:

María Fernanda Espinosa
Ambassador of Ecuador - Chairwoman of the Working Group of the United Nations on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises
María Fernanda Espinosa
Ambassador of Ecuador - Chairwoman of the Working Group of the United Nations on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises
Brid Brennan
TNI - Transnational Institute
Brid Brennan
TNI - Transnational Institute
Alberto Villarreal
REDES Uruguay
Alberto Villarreal
REDES Uruguay
Rachmi Hertani
Indonesia Platform
Rachmi Hertani
Indonesia Platform
Carlos Lopez
International Commission of Jurists - ICJ
Carlos Lopez
International Commission of Jurists - ICJ
Bonita Meyesfeld
CALS – University of Witwatersrand – South Africa
Bonita Meyesfeld
CALS – University of Witwatersrand – South Africa
Carlos Correa
University of Buenos Aires
Carlos Correa
University of Buenos Aires
Juan Hernández Zubizarreta
University of the Basque Country
Juan Hernández Zubizarreta
University of the Basque Country
Godwin Ojo
Environmental Rights Action - ERA - Nigeria
Godwin Ojo
Environmental Rights Action - ERA - Nigeria
Julio Fierro
National University of Colombia
Julio Fierro
National University of Colombia
Sheldon Leader
University of Essex
Sheldon Leader
University of Essex
Ricardo Navarro
Amigos de la Tierra - El Salvador
Ricardo Navarro
Amigos de la Tierra - El Salvador
Surya Deva
City University of Hong Kong
Surya Deva
City University of Hong Kong
Ana-Maria Suarez
FIAN International
Ana-Maria Suarez
FIAN International
Manoela Carneiro Roland
Homa - Human Rights and Business Centre - Federal University of Juiz de Fora
Manoela Carneiro Roland
Homa - Human Rights and Business Centre - Federal University of Juiz de Fora
Gonzalo Berrón
TNI - Transnational Institute
Gonzalo Berrón
TNI - Transnational Institute
Cristiana Losekann
Organon - Federal University of Espirito Santo
Cristiana Losekann
Organon - Federal University of Espirito Santo
Silvia Marina Pinheiro
Homa - Human Rights and Business Centre
Silvia Marina Pinheiro
Homa - Human Rights and Business Centre
Julia Mello Neiva
Business and Human Rights Resource Center
Julia Mello Neiva
Business and Human Rights Resource Center
João Roberto L. Pinto
Mais Democracia Institute, EcoPol UniRio
João Roberto L. Pinto
Mais Democracia Institute, EcoPol UniRio
Tchenna Fernandes Maso
MAB
Tchenna Fernandes Maso
MAB
Lucia Ortiz
Friends of the Earth International
Lucia Ortiz
Friends of the Earth International
Bruno Milanez
Homa - Human Rights and Business Centre, PoEMAS
Bruno Milanez
Homa - Human Rights and Business Centre, PoEMAS
Rodrigo Salles Pereira
PoEMAS, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Rodrigo Salles Pereira
PoEMAS, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Adriana Mathis
Federal University of Pará
Adriana Mathis
Federal University of Pará
Diana Aguiar
FASE
Diana Aguiar
FASE
Valéria Burity
FIAN
Valéria Burity
FIAN
Raphaela Lopes
Justiça Global
Raphaela Lopes
Justiça Global
Flávia Scabin
FGV
Flávia Scabin
FGV
Assis Oliveira
Federal University of Pará
Assis Oliveira
Federal University of Pará
Lucilene Binsfeld
Observatório Social – CUT
Lucilene Binsfeld
Observatório Social – CUT
Marlon Alberto Weichert
Ministério Público Federal
Marlon Alberto Weichert
Ministério Público Federal
Gabriel Strautman
PACS
Gabriel Strautman
PACS
Pedro Saldanha
Ministério de Relações Exteriores
Pedro Saldanha
Ministério de Relações Exteriores
Fernando Prioste
Terra de Direitos
Fernando Prioste
Terra de Direitos
Vinicius Alves
Forúm Justiça
Vinicius Alves
Forúm Justiça
Pedro Charbel
BDS
Pedro Charbel
BDS
Caio Borges
Conectas
Caio Borges
Conectas
Roseane Cardoso
Ativista e Defensora de Direitos Humanos –Afetada pela Vale
Roseane Cardoso
Ativista e Defensora de Direitos Humanos –Afetada pela Vale
Iara Pietricovsky de Oliveira
INESC
Iara Pietricovsky de Oliveira
INESC
Yıldız Temürtürkan
World March of Women
Yıldız Temürtürkan
World March of Women
Lucas Prastes
FIAN
Lucas Prastes
FIAN
Paula Arruda
LAJUSA
Paula Arruda
LAJUSA
Eduardo Barcellos
Associação dos Geógrafos Brasileiros
Eduardo Barcellos
Associação dos Geógrafos Brasileiros

Event Program

April 27

6 PM – Registration

7 PM – Opening

8 PM – Keynote Conference: Global Agenda on Human Rights and business: Between Advances and Setbacks

This conference aims to encourage debate on the global agenda of "Human Rights and Business," and to promote discussion about the possible advances and setbacks in the creation and implementation of international accountability mechanisms of companies for human rights violations.

10PM – Closing

April 28

9 AM – Implementation of the Guiding Principles on business and human rights in Brazil and worldwide: Critical Perspectives

This panel aims to promote critical discussion about the implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Brazil and worldwide, the analysis of the development and implementation of National Action Plans, as well as the visits carried out by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and the debate about the regulation of ILO Convention 169.

1 PM – Lunch break

2 PM – International Treaty on Business and Human Rights

This debate table aims to discuss the elaboration process of an international binding instrument under way at UN, questioning its official process through the Intergovernmental Working Group and the dynamics around the international articulation of social movements and non-governmental organizations such as the Treaty Alliance and the Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity, among others.

5 PM – Popular development of an International Framework on Business and Human Rights: The Peoples’ Treaty

This panel will work towards discussion of popular experiences of development of national and international legal instruments for human rights protection and people's courts' experiences, especially the People's Treaty and the People's Court.

7 PM – Closing

April 29

9 AM –Processes and Mechanisms of Resistance to Fight Human Rights Violations in their different dimensions 

This panel aims to discuss the popular organized resistance towards defense against human rights violations in its various dimensions, and also to address various popular, militant, judicial and extrajudicial mechanisms for tackling violations of these rights. Analysis of experiences and concrete cases of resistance in Brazil and the world, and emancipatory use of alternative mechanisms for fighting against rights violations will also be carried out.

1 PM – Lunch Break

2 PM – Public Funding and Large Enterprises

This panel aims to discuss the relationship between the public and private sectors regarding government funding of companies through public development banks, public funds and development agencies. The state's participation in the corporation's structure through shareholding of stock assets, acting as intermediary agent of merging and acquisition processes, and its possible responsibility for human rights violations committed in business activity will also be discussed. Additionally, discussion on the Brazilian development bank BNDES, its governance model, transparency mechanisms and funding criteria will be carried out.

5 PM – The impact of Mining Business and human rights violations

This debate table will focus on the impact of mining business on the social reality, in all stages, from licensing to operation, including its production chain, to question its negative impacts, irregularities and human rights violations. This panel will also present reports of real life experiences and analysis of specific cases of rights violations by mining activity in Brazil and worldwide.

8 PM - Ending

Event Location

The event will be held at PUC Rio, at Rua Rosário de Mello, 22. Rio de Janeiro / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Frings Building - Auditorium B8

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Use the form on the right to sign up for the Seminar.


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