Business and human rights expert to address Irish Centre for Human Rights symposium

The Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway will host a symposium this Friday to explore the role of national action plans in furthering the business and human rights agenda.

Professor Anita Ramasastry, a renowned expert from the University of Washington and a member of the United Nations Working Group on business and human rights, will speak on relevant international and national developments in this emerging field of policy and practice.

The symposium will bring together legal and policy experts working in the field of business and human rights who will discuss and explore the prospects and problems associated with such national action plans, and their implications for States, business and civil society.

Dr Shane Darcy, of the Irish Centre for Human Rights, said: “The momentum of the business and human rights agenda risks stalling in the absence of meaningful progress on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights.

“This symposium will consider whether national business and human rights plans constitute an effective means of ensuring corporate respect for human rights or merely serve to give the illusion of progress.”