Business & human rights: Weekly Update - September 17, 2008

From the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre:

Weekly Update: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre - 17 Sep 2008

CLICK THIS LINK FOR ALL TOP STORIES added past 7 days / Principales noticias / Articles de premier plan:
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Topstories?date=2008/09/17

Español: ver abajo - Français : voir ci-dessous

* Intl. Commission of Jurists releases final report on corporate complicity in major human rights abuses
- John Ruggie commentary on the report
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/568011

* World Bank terminates Chad oil pipeline agreement after govt. fails to spend revenues on programmes for the poor
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/695036

* Jordan: Human trafficking & wide range of abuses at Mediterranean Resources, according to US-based National Labor Committee - supplies Hanesbrands, Wal-Mart
- Mediterranean Resources, Hanesbrands responses
- Wal-Mart said it will respond; we will include their response in a future Update
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/128402

* Company contributions to hurricane relief in Cuba, Haiti, USA
- refers to Citigroup, Digicel, Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Gulfstream, Home Depot, Kraft, Marathon Oil, Nestlé, Wal-Mart, Yutong
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/Hurricanerelief

* Argentine, Dutch Govts. accept OECD Guidelines complaint against Shell over environmental contamination in Buenos Aires
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/541615

* Ecuador indicts Chevron lawyers for alleged fraudulent certification of Texaco's environmental cleanup - Chevron claims indictments are politically motivated
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/899399

* China: 254 die in mudslide triggered by illegal iron mine - Shanxi province governor resigns
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/284329

* Uzbekistan Govt. takes measures to avoid child labour in cotton industry - activists raise concerns
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/585542

* USA: Agriprocessors bosses charged with using children in dangerous jobs
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/142167

* Israel/West Bank: Cases of employers' non-compliance with High Court ruling on Palestinian workers' rights, including withholding pay, using work permits to "intimidate" workers
- Royalife response
- We invited Yad Lechayey Adam Carpenters, Avgi Morris Carpenters to respond, but have not received their response
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/473617

* USA: Whole Foods Market signs agreement with Coalition of Immokalee Workers to help improve tomato pickers' wages, working conditions
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/947518

* Initiatives addressing HIV/AIDS:
- Bangladesh: UNAIDS, Standard Chartered form business coalition on HIV/AIDS
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/825378
- Uganda: Century Bottling Company undertakes employee, community HIV testing campaign
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/744314
- Tanzania: British Airways-UNICEF program aims to curb mother-to-child HIV infection
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/165004

* Labour Behind the Label: UK retailers making "glacial progress" towards ensuring living wage for overseas workers
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/523052

* Friends of the Earth says biofuels in Latin America harming environment, human rights
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/898255

* Rio Tinto response to Norwegian Pension Fund's decision to exclude company over environmental concerns in West Papua (further to last week's Update)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/490872

* Anti-malaria campaigners believe deal can be reached with pharmaceutical firms to bring down new drugs' prices for the poor
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/120284

* IFC partners with Global Reporting Initiative to help companies in emerging markets improve sustainability reporting
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/226463

* New summary profiles of lawsuits against US apparel companies over alleged labour abuses in Saipan, BP over environmental & security issues in Colombia
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/lawsuitprofiles-16Sep2008

* Upcoming International Conference on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights - European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (9-10 Oct, Berlin)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/535154

* Launch of ASrIA's Carbon Disclosure Report 2008 for Asia, excluding Japan (30 Sep, Hong Kong)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/417772

* Business & Human Rights Resource Centre appoints Surabhi Chopra as its first South Asia Researcher
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/SoAsiaappt

* Español: Por "daños causados a la salud y al ambiente", 'puntos de contacto' de Argentina y Holanda admiten queja contra Shell bajo las Directrices de la OCDE
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/376946

* Español: Perú: Fundación Telefónica y ONG presentan programa para escolarizar a 917 niños trabajadores o en riesgo de trabajar
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/456668

* Español: Colombia: 124 intoxicados, en su mayoría niños, por escape de caneca de Ecopetrol - empresa investiga
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/317889

* Español: Ecuador: Acusan penalmente a abogados de Chevron por falsificar resultados de saneamiento ambiental
- Chevron considera la acusación "políticamente motivada"
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/763118

* Español: Rep. Dominicana: Llaman a empresas miembro del Pacto Global a rendir sus comunicaciones de progreso
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/942364

* Español: México: Propuesta en Cámara busca obligar a empresas que contraten servicios "outsourcing" a que no desconozcan los derechos de los trabajadores
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/581325

* Español: Perú: Congresista presenta proyecto para suspender concesiones mineras con el fin de evitar conflictos socioambientales
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/121877

* Español: Argentina: Empresas participan en programa para eliminar trabajo infantil en los viñedos (Bodegas Chandón, Alco, Bodega Catena Zapata, Shirley Hinojosa)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/503193

* Français : France : Le label Diversité lancé avec la particiaption du gouvernment - récompensera l'implication des entreprises pour limiter la discrimination
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/510852

* Français : Chine : 254 morts dans une coulée de boue déversée d'une mine de fer illégale
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/778008

* Français : Rapport des Amis de la Terre sur l'impact des agrocarburants : « Alimenter la destruction en Amérique latine »
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/507250

ARCHIVE of past Weekly Updates / ARCHIVO de actualizaciones pasadas / ARCHIVE des Actualités hebdomadaires précédentes:
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Aboutus/WeeklyUpdatesarchive