As companies navigate the complex landscape of human rights, they tend to focus on the most visible and well-known human rights risks or those they are legally required to address. However, numerous risks are often overlooked and undervalued, posing significant threats to human rights. In this blog, we explore three such risks and urge companies to broaden their approach to risk identification.
1. The Impact of Technology on Human Rights
Technology is evolving rapidly and brings many benefits. However, it also presents significant risks to human rights, including discrimination and bias. For instance, facial recognition technology has been shown to have a higher error rate for people of color and women, leading to discriminatory outcomes. Similarly, AI-driven decision-making systems can result in biased conclusions that negatively impact vulnerable communities. Additionally, the use of technology in the workplace can lead to increased surveillance and monitoring, potentially violating privacy and autonomy.
2. Abuse by Government Authorities
Companies operating in countries where governments fail to protect human rights risk benefiting—sometimes inadvertently—from government policies that violate human rights. In some cases, special agreements are made to exempt companies from laws that protect human rights. Businesses may also influence or interfere with legal proceedings or take legal action against human rights activists to suppress debate about corporate practices and plans. Companies must remain vigilant in their interactions with governments and ensure that they do not unintentionally contribute to human rights violations.
3. Children’s Rights
While companies recognize child labour as a significant human rights risk, they often overlook other children’s rights, such as the right to family life, health and safety, and a clean environment. More than a decade ago, UNICEF, Save the Children, and the UN Global Compact launched the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, yet the human rights risks for children that companies consider remain limited.
Conclusion
Companies must systematically map out human rights risks, starting with a broad spectrum of human rights and then prioritizing them based on severity and likelihood. At Human Rights@Work, we help companies avoid overlooking or underestimating risks that could lead to serious human rights violations.
By going beyond mere compliance and addressing these often-overlooked human rights risks, companies can actively promote human rights and contribute to a more sustainable future.
