Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles in Conflict-Affected Settings: Aligning Human Rights and Conflict Sensitive Approaches

Abstract

Abstract Objectives/Scope International Alert (Alert), a leading peacebuilding NGO, is updating its seminal Conflict Sensitive Business Practice (CSBP). Originally published in 2005, CSBP guides companies on how to operate in conflict-affected settings in a way that mitigates business risk while reducing any negative impacts arising from operations. A key focus area for the update is the alignment between the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and CSBP; the update explores the opportunities and limitations of human rights due diligence in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS) and the value of integrating with conflict-sensitive approaches. Methods, Procedures, Process The research set the following questions as an entry point into exploring how human rights and conflict sensitivity align: Results, Observations, Conclusions The research identifies three areas that require particular attention when conducting human rights due diligence in FCAS: Novel/Additive Information While there have been significant efforts to undertake more rigorous human rights due diligence in line with the UNGPs, there is little practical guidance on what this means for companies operating in FCAS. Given that human rights violations are particularly pertinent in FCAS, practical guidelines are highly relevant and bridge the gap between the conflict sensitivity and human rights debates.