Blog Action Day 2013: Human Rights

16 October is Blog Action Day, during which thousands of bloggers from all over the world write on a common theme. The theme for 2013 is Human Rights – the fundamental freedoms that all people are entitled to simply by virtue of being human; largely enshrined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted by both the UK and Canada in 1948).

Currently, the six key human rights priorities for the UK are: women’s rights; torture prevention; abolition of the death penalty; freedom of religion or belief; business and human rights; and freedom of expression on the internet. You will see other blog posts on these topics from our Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates across the world, and we publish quarterly human rights updates on our Human Rights website.

The business and human rights priority is a particularly interesting one, as it involves the strict oversight of commercial activities in a time of increasing trade/investment and decreasing regulation. The UK published its Good Business: Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights document last month, which instructs UK companies to respect human rights wherever they operate – while not legally binding, it is a strong statement that business interests do not trump fundamental rights.

This clash of business interests and human rights is perhaps best exemplified with some of the transnational extractive industries. Whereas valuable natural resources such as gold and tantalum can be found almost anywhere on Earth, they can be mined at lower cost in countries where environmental and human rights protections are less strict. The vast workings required to dig out ores will often displace existing populations, with a wider area rendered uninhabitable due to the air and water pollution produced during refining. This loss of habitat and livelihood is often poorly compensated, with the majority of profits from the mining operation flowing out of the country along with the resources. Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International have highlighted mining as a sector in dire need of reform, with a lack of regulation ruining lives and damaging the image of the entire industry.

With this action plan, the UK will take steps to ensure that all UK mining companies will respect human rights in the countries in which they operate. Here’s how Foreign Secretary William Hague summed it up:

With this action plan, the UK becomes the first country to launch a national implementation plan for the UN Guiding Principles. It is our commitment to the value of human rights in pursuit of a prosperous Britain. We shall push for the international community to follow our lead and for UK businesses to work with us in taking this proactive action protect human rights and improve the lives of millions.