The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) co-hosted the Asia Pacific National Human Rights Institutions Regional Conference on Business and Human Rights on October 11-13, 2011in Seoul, Korea, with the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF).
The conference was well attended, with more than 200 participants from NHRIs, international organizations including the UNOHCHR and the ICC (International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights), businesses, government and civil society.
At the opening, NHRCK Chairperson HYUN Byung-Chul delivered welcoming remarks, followed by congratulatory remarks (video message) from UN Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon and Mr. KIM Yong-Jun, Former President of the Constitutional Court of Korea. APF Chairperson Amara Pongsapich, Chair of National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, gave opening remarks.
The keynote presentation speakers stressed responsibilities of business to respect human rights, the important role of NHRIs and international standards in business and human rights, especially UN Framework and Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights. The conference also provided a forum for NHRIs to discuss and share the challenges and good practices in their work to promote and protect business and human rights in Asia Pacific region.
APF members drafted and adopted an outcome statement on the Asia Pacific NHRIs Regional Conference on Business and Human Rights on October 13, 2011, reiterating the role and duty of NHRIs in promoting corporate respect for human rights within their mandates, as a follow-up to the Edinburgh Declaration. At the national level, the members agree to review their institutional capacity as well as existing plans for human rights promotion of relevant government and NHRIs; thus government and NHRIs would be prepared to address human rights violations committed by business. They also agreed to develop relationships with key stakeholders and to promote implementation of relevant international human rights instruments. At the regional and international levels, they agreed to engage with regional and international organizations, including the ICC Working Group on Business and Human Rightsand the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission for Human Rights, for the promotion of corporate respect for human rights.
