Human Rights Defenders in National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights

The International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR) and the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) are pleased to announce the launch of our new guidance, Human Rights Defenders in National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights. . 

Acknowledging that human rights defenders are a particular group of rights-holders adversely affected by corporate human rights abuse in many national settings, ICAR and ISHR recognize the value in giving them additional scrutiny in the creation of a business and human rights NAP. This report provides guidance on how human rights defenders can be consulted in the development of NAPs and how their rights can be addressed through national policies on business and human rights.

This initiative is a follow-up project to ICAR’s seminal report with the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) on NAPs, entitled National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: A Toolkit for the Development, Implementation, and Review of State Commitment to Business and Human Rights Frameworks, launched in June 2014. It is the second report in a series of Thematic Templates stemming from the NAPs Toolkit, following the release of the Children’s Rights in National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, published by ICAR, DIHR, and UNICEF in November 2015.

The Human Rights Defenders in NAPs on Business and Human Rights guidance is available for download in English, Spanish, French, and German (excerpts).