Global Business and Human Rights

The adoption of the Millennium Declaration in 2000 by 189 States Members of the United Nations was a defining moment for global cooperation in the 21^st century. The Declaration gave birth to a set of eight concrete and measurable development objectives known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Spurred by the Declaration, leaders from both developed and developing countries committed to achieve these interwoven goals(¹) by 2015.

The 2010 UN Summit on the MDGs concluded with the adoption of a global action plan – “Keeping the Promise: United to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals” - and the announcement of a number of initiatives against poverty, hunger and disease.

2012 report on progress towards the MDGs highlights several milestones. The target of reducing extreme poverty by half has been reached five years ahead of the 2015 deadline, as has the target of halving the proportion of people who lack dependable access to improved sources of drinking water. These results represent a tremendous reduction in human suffering. But, they are not a reason to relax. Achieving the MDGs by 2015 is challenging but possible. Much depends on the fulfilment of MDG-8 - the global partnership for development.

At Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 20th – 22nd, 2012 - 20 years after the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development - people from all over the world gathered and discussed how to best manage our common future in a sustainable and lasting way.

The core of Rio+20 was the outcome document - “The Future We Want” - that provided a firm foundation for building a sustainable future, among others having launched a process to establish universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs will build on our advances under the MDGs, and they will be an integral part of the post-2015 development framework.

Human rights are essential to achieving and sustaining development. The 2000 Millennium Declaration recognized the link between human rights, good governance and development.

It is clear that the objectives of human well being and dignity for all, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, will not be achieved if the MDGs are pursued in isolation from human rights.

It is essential to renew our commitment to a human rights-based development approach.