A new report published by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre today has revealed how extractive projects are acting as a breeding ground for major human rights abuses in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The report analysed the human rights policies and performance of 30 extractives companies in the region, revealing industry links to allegations of environmental destruction, death and violence.
The top ten extractive companies in Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan were included in the study, with 167 human rights issues noted across all 30 companies. The abuses related to hazardous working conditions, health effects and other labour rights abuses.
Key findings included:
- Companies in Kazakhstan recorded the highest number of human rights issues (73), followed by Armenia (60) and then Georgia (34).
- Poor access to information on business activities was a concern. It was extremely difficult to find any information on the human rights performance of eight of the 30 companies researched, while 22 companies had noted issues around access to information.
- There is an alarming gap between policy and practice. Although 19 companies have human rights policies, all of them faced allegations of abuse.
- Allegations relating to environmental and water rights were the most common (25 allegations), followed closely by access to information (22), health and safety (22) and livelihood and standard of living (22). Community, culture and property rights (20) and labour rights (19) were also noted as serious points of concern, with fair compensation and wages a common issue.
- Deaths and violence were among the most severe human rights abuses found in company activities in all three countries.
- The full version of the report is.
Photo Credit: www.business-humanrights.org
June 15, 2021 at 14:17