On January 16, Julio David González Arango, an Indigenous land defender involved in peaceful resistance to a mining operation in Guatemala, was shot in his home. The next day, two other defenders – Juan Eduardo Donis and Pablo Adolfo Valenzuela – received text messages saying that “they would be next.” Tragically, this incident is all too familiar to activists and human rights …
The UK is fuelling the war in Yemen, this can’t go on
In July, the UK Government announced the resumption of new arms licences to Saudi Arabia for weapons to be used in the Yemen war. This is despite Oxfam colleagues in Yemen reporting an increasing number of civilians, including women and children, being killed in the conflict. We are asking the British public to call on the UK government to respect the International Humanitarian Law …
How we are driving a just transition to a low-carbon economy
As we scale up investment in renewable energy, it is time for companies to adopt strong human rights practices. Eniko Horvath and Marti Flacks, from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre describe the important role of benchmarking in helping achieve a fast and fair transition to an economy that is compatible with both planetary boundaries and social justice. Climate …
Should companies act when civic freedoms are under attack?
Mauricio Lazala and Ana Zbona, from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, discuss how companies can help support civic freedoms and human rights defenders in the countries where they operate. Civic freedoms are being eroded around the world. According to CIVICUS, nearly six in ten countries are seriously restricting people’s fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression. Civil …
Why tax dodging is a human rights issue
Last week in the wake of the Paradise Papers scandal Mark Goldring explained how tax dodging deprives already deprived people of basic services like access to water, education and healthcare. But, how does tax affect human rights? Here, Alex May argues that tax dodging can also be seen as a human rights violation. What is tax dodging? Corporations and wealthy people …
The right to defend human rights in an unequal world: The case of Mexico
Defenders of human rights often put themselves at personal risk to carry out their work. This blog examines the vulnerabilities human rights and land rights activists face, especially female activists and defenders of land and women’s rights. t the beginning of October we read about a company lawyer in El financiero (ES), a national Mexican newspaper, who was referring to …
31 women activists murdered in 2015: You can help stop the violence
International Women Human Rights Defenders Day was November 29th, you can support women on the front line defending rights. erta Cáceres was murdered in March 2016. Berta was peacefully opposing a dam project being built in her community. For this she paid with her life. Around the world, women human rights defenders*, like Berta, are threatened, attacked and murdered for …
Renewed violence around Las Bambas mining project: Will we learn from past mistakes?
Copper mining in Las Bambas, Peru has sparked new violence as the communities surrounding the mine are bypassed again by the Peruvian government and mining company, MMG, on decisions that greatly affect their lives. n October 14, 42 year old Quintino Cereceda was killed during a police operation near the Las Bambas copper mine in Peru. This tragic event follows …