International: UN report prepares the ground for an international strategy on businesses and human rights

“Protect, respect and remedy” is based on three independent principles: the State’s duty to prevent human rights abuses committed by third parties, notably businesses; their responsibility to respect human rights; and the need to make legal proceedings more effective. During his first mandate, from 2001 to 2008, John Ruggie conceptualized the outline of this strategy, took stock of the abuses committed, existing standards and initiatives taken in favor of human rights. When his term was renewed in 2008, the special representative carried out a large consultation to concretely direct the final phase of his work, his term ending in 2011. In the report which will be presented in early June, he presented recommendations based on the three principles abovementioned.