SUPPORTING RIGHTS HOLDERS AND EXPANDED CIVIC SPACE
The crackdown on democracy is silencing civil society voices in many countries. Shrinking civic space is a growing threat to livelihoods, liberty and peace.
Civic space under attack
The global crackdown om civic space threatens sustainable development, democracy and peace. In the last decade, a growing number of attacks have been driven by state and business interests seeking to exploit land and other natural resources. Women are particularly affected as they are often excluded from formal political processes and primarily engage though civic space.
Many countries have enacted repressive legislation by limiting freedom of expression, a development that worsened significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic when restrictions on movement made it easier to target defenders. Those who challenge authorities, may they be community representatives, journalists or human rights and environmental defenders, are at great risk of repression.
A responsibility to defend the defenders
Business actors, particularly those operating in repressive regimes and high-risk sectors, have a responsibility to identify risks faced by rights defenders and to support their right to hold companies to account. Under internationally agreed norms, companies are expected to include defenders as a vulnerable group in their human rights due diligence processes and ensure their perspectives are heard in meaningful consultations.
Coordinator, human rights defenders and civic space
Malena Wåhlin
Snapshots of our work on civic space
Amplifying voices
The report is part of Swedwatch´s ongoing project to ensure that the discussion around binding legislation on human rights due diligence is based on the voices of defenders, many times threatened by a rapidly shrinking civic space. It also provides a platform for our calls on European companies to introduce policies safeguarding the rights of defenders throughout their supply chains.
Engaging with investors
To curb the trend of restrictions on civic freedoms, financial actors including institutional investors and development finance institutions should use their clout and address the escalating violence and intimidation. In various advocacy initiatives, Swedwatch works to increase awareness on the responsibilities of investors, including through identifying and addressing risks to human rights and environmental defenders.
"Investors should adopt and implement a zero-tolerance policy and approach against attacks on defenders in business relationships, agreements, and investment decision-making." /Swedwatch report
Call on business to intervene
Agribusiness is one of the most dangerous sectors for defenders, and Latin America the worst continent in terms of number of threats and attacks. For more than a decade, rights defender and coordinator of the Ecuadorian banana workers’ union Jorge Acosta has reported labour rights, health issues and environmental impacts in the banana industry. For this he has been accused of »creating economic panic« and threatened with prison, illustrating the risks defenders face when exposing adverse impacts of business operations.
Swedwatch has called on Swedish and European food importers to intervene, leading to several companies engaging with Ecuadorian authorities and importers to joined Swedwatch and others in monitoring court proceedings against Acosta.
Speaking up for migrants
The report Trapped in the kitchen of the world revealed a range of violations including the confiscation of passports and work permits, illegal fees and debt bondage.
As a result of the report, ten Nordic food companies developed a joint initiative seeking to prevent abusive conditions at supplier factories, including by providing training sessions for migrant workers, staff and managers. Moreover, a coalition of food companies provided financial support to cover court costs for migrant workers charged in a criminal defamation court case by their employer.