Quick facts about NHRIs and the business sector

In a recent survey, 13 out of 43 NHRIs reported that they lack legal mechanisms for complaints against companies.6 This exclusion, in some cases, stems from the mistaken notion that human rights exclusively involve the relationship between the individual and the State.

States are responsible for ensuring that human rights standards are applied within the country in both the public and private spheres. They can fulfil this responsibility by taking measures, including legislative measures, to protect rights and to provide redress for abuses, and this should include the private sector or, at the very least, those organisations operating in the private sector that have a public function, such as banks, energy providers, etc. Giving national institutions authority over the private sector is one way of complying with this responsibility.

More discussion on the role of NHRIs and business is found in Chapter 3.