CSOs welcomes National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.

Organizations advocates for social and  economic rights in the country have commended the  Government of Uganda for launching the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.

Uganda has become the 2nd country in Africa, and 30th globally to publish a National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights; a sign of commitment by the state to mitigate and remedy adverse business-related human rights impacts. 

The National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights seeks to promote a harmonious relationship in which both businesses and communities can thrive by providing a comprehensive framework for coordination of multi-sectoral efforts to ensure respect for human rights in business operations.

For years, the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) has been doing advocacy around the state’s duty to protect people from human rights abuses perpetrated by businesses, the responsibility of businesses to respect human rights and access to effective remedy for victims of business-related human rights violations. “The launch of the NAP on Business and Human Rights is a critical step in the promotion and protection of human rights by our government.

It is also a major success story for us human rights defenders working on issues of business and human rights,” said Ms. Salima Namusobya, Executive Director - ISER. 

Some of the eight priority areas of focus of the NAP include social service delivery by private actors, access to remedy, women, vulnerable and marginalised groups; these issues are at the core of our programming." I would like to call upon all stakeholders to ensure coordination in implementation of the NAP,” she added.

The adoption of the NAP on Business and Human Rights will go a long way in addressing challenges faced by communities while interacting with businesses in Uganda. “Considering that Uganda’s National Development Plan envisages a private sector led economy, the adoption of this NAP is very timely,” said Mr. Joseph Byomuhangyi, Project Coordinator of the Uganda Consortium on Corporate Accountability (UCCA).