UN Should Release Database of Businesses that Raise Human Rights Concerns in Israeli Settlements

Today, the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR), Access Now, Center for Constitutional Rights, Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), CORE, Corporate Accountability Lab, FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), and Project on Organizing, Development, Education, and Research (PODER), sent a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (High Commissioner), urging the prompt release of the database of all business enterprises involved in certain specified activities concerning the Israeli settlements that may have negative human rights impacts, as called for in UN Human Rights Council's (HRC) Resolution 31/36.

The HRC has stated that the military occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel qualifies as an armed conflict, noting that businesses operating in the settlements do so at increased risk of human rights abuses and in violation of international humanitarian law. As such, the database increases transparency as to which business entities may be running afoul of their human rights responsibilities by engaging in business activities in or with settlements. This information is crucial in assisting States in fulfilling their obligations under international law. It also enhances the ability of companies to better manage their human rights risks and allows the general public to make more informed choices concerning the impacts of their purchases and investments.

The release of the database has already been delayed from its original scheduled date of March 2017. We therefore call on the High Commissioner to promptly release the database, and ensure that it covers all business enterprises as mandated under the Resolution and is update annually going forward.

The letter can be viewed here.

For any inquiries regarding the letter, please contact Amol Mehra, ICAR's Executive Director, at amol@icar.ngo or +1 202 296 0146.