Liberia adopts a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights
As the fourth country in Africa, Liberia has launched its first National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. Swedwatch and its partner Green Advocates International have been working to integrate women from business impacted communities in the policy-process. Both partners welcome the adoption and call for an inclusive implementation and monitoring process.
“I feel so happy to finally see the launch of Liberia’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. It is a great milestone for communities affected by business operations, especially women. My hope is to see a unique and holistic implementation ensuring women as an integral part of the plan”, says Radiatu H.S. Kahnplaye, Head of Administration and Finance at GAI and Project Lead for the project at Green Advocates International (GAI).
In recent years, an increasing number of countries have developed a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP BHR). The aim of such a plan is to increase respect for human rights in connection to business activities, in conformity with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. (See more statistics and facts below.)
With Kenya and Uganda adopting their NAPs BHR in 2021, and Nigeria in 2023, Liberia was the fourth county in Africa to launch its plan. The news to develop a plan was announced already in 2018 and, with support from the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), Swedwatch and GAI have worked to involve and integrate positions of women from business impacted communities during the policy negotiations. Involving women in business and human rights is closely interlinked with efforts to sustain peace in the country.
“In the Liberian context, Swedwatch and partner organisation GAI have highlighted women’s participation and the need to address the interlinkages between business, human rights, environmental conflict risks – like tensions around natural resource and land – in order to avoid the recurrence of past business-related human rights violations and conflicts. To avoid this, businesses should include gender and conflict sensitive due diligence into their practices”, says Jessica Johansson, Programme Officer at Swedwatch and Project Lead for the NAP BHR project at Swedwatch.
The FBA-funded project included capacity-development trainings, radio shows, and multistakeholder dialogues. Swedwatch also facilitated that women from different communities, directly impacted by business operations, could take part in a workshop around the NAP, held by the Ministry of Justice in Liberia.
Based on dialogues, consultations and research, GAI and Swedwatch made recommendations to the government on what the NAP BHR should entail – such as references to women’s participation in decision-making on land and natural resources, protection of human rights defenders, and the interlinkages between business, human rights, and environment, women and peace.
“Looking at the final NAP BHR version that was launched, I see most of our input fully captured. These are real time experiences gathered for over a decade from across communities who have suffered the impact of business operations. The voices of communities, especially women, makes this plan a great example for other countries to follow”, says Radiatu H.S. Kahnplaye.
What is a NAP BHR?
An estimated 36 countries in the world have adopted a NAP BHR, and an estimated 18 countries have a development process underway*. A NAP BHR is an “evolving policy strategy developed by a State to protect against adverse human rights impacts by business enterprises in conformity with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (the UNGP’s)”. Several international bodies recommend states to develop a NAP BHR.
*The numbers are based on data from the globalnaps.org by the Danish Institute on Human Rights, and compiled by Swedwatch to showcase adopted NAP BHR.
Why should countries adopt a NAP BHR?
Legal frameworks for BHR are not limited to one policy or regulation but rather span across, for example, environmental law, labour law and gender- and participatory rights. A NAP BHR can provide a common framework and clearly spell out the duties of states and business actors in respecting and protecting human rights in relation to business operations. The development of a NAP can also push BHR higher up the political agenda as well as identify the need for new laws or gaps in existing laws.
I feel so happy to finally see the launch of Liberia’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. It is a great milestone for communities affected by business operations, especially women.
Radiatu H.S. Kahnplaye, Head of Administration and Finance at Green Advocates International (GAI)
