Business & human rights: Weekly Update - March 4, 2009

Weekly Update: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre - 4 March 2009

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=2009/03/04

Español: ver abajo - Français : voir ci-dessous

* Liberia: "Getting a Better Deal from the Extractive Sector" - Revenue Watch report on recent concessions negotiation
- forewords by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, George Soros
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/834530

* UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights holds mini-conference on business & human rights, prior to inquiry
- presentation by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
- presentation by Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/872203

* Uzbekistan: Human rights activists sue govt. for forcing children to work in cotton fields
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/161168

* Cambodia: 7NG Construction forcibly evicts 152 families from Dey Krahorm, Phnom Penh
- we invited 7NG to respond but it has not done so - articles include some comments by its Chairman
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/DeyKrahorm

* UK's Co-operative Financial Services helps fund legal action by aboriginal community against development of Canada's oil sands by companies such as Shell & BP
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/391971

* HP and others unveil conclusions of pilot project to tackle electronic waste in Africa, and next steps
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/677783

* Indonesia: Sidorajo mud volcano that displaced over 50,000: Natl. Human Rights Commission says likely triggered by gas project, cites abuses, may bring cases against private sector & govt.
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/183777

* Intl. Rivers Network says multi-stakeholder hydropower sustainability criteria are "a giant step backward from current rights & standards"
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/966188

* Lawsuit in Canadian court against Copper Mesa and TMX Group over violence against communities in Ecuador protesting a copper mine
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/121913

* USA: "A human rights imperative": Arvind Ganesan of Human Rights Watch advocates passage of Employee Free Choice Act to make unions more accessible (radio commentary)
- other commentaries provided
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/960634

* Shashi Tharoor responds to letter criticising his membership of Coca-Cola Foundation Advisory Board - letter cited water issues in Kerala, India
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/858022

* "Managing water well": The role of the private sector in access to water
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/617773

* Intl. Commission of Jurists call for tenders: "Project on access to justice for human rights abuse involving corporations" - studies to be done for: Brazil, Colombia, Dem. Rep. of the Congo, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland (deadline 20 Mar)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/723175

* Diamonds' role in Zimbabwe repression - Partnership Africa Canada accuses Kimberley Process of "apathy"
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/463358

* New coalition to tackle internet child porn: NGOs, MasterCard, Microsoft, PayPal, VISA involved
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/876228

* Summary profile of lawsuits against Pfizer over drug trials in Kano, Nigeria
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/286416

* CAFOD comments on BHP Billiton response to its "Kept in the Dark" report on Philippines mining project (further to our 12 Nov 2008 Update)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/850270

* Liberia: Poor working conditions found at ArcelorMittal contractors including Odebrecht (railroad construction), Segal (security) - but possibility of improvements
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/587122

* USA: Report finds persistent racial discrimination by real estate brokers on Long Island, New York
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/934722

* Colombia: NGOs welcome partial return of land to Afro-Colombians displaced by armed forces, paramilitaries and palm oil firms
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/993819

* India: NGO asks Kerala Govt. to compensate families of migrant workers allegedly burned to death by labour contractor
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/259021

* Reply from NGOs to Sir Mark Moody-Stuart regarding UN Global Compact, PetroChina and Sudan
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/739060

* Russia: Criminal proceedings over death of 2 workers at mine owned by Sibirskiy Delovoy Soyuz (our summary translation of Russian original)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/693250

* Upcoming event: Monrovia, Liberia: Intl. colloquium on promoting women's economic empowerment through right to decent work (8 March)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/523536

* Job announcement: Senior Programme Officer, Corporate Engagement, Intl. Alert - London (deadline 31 Mar)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/243126

* Job announcement: Manager, CSR Europe - Brussels (deadline 15 Mar)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/173743

* Español: Argentina: Piden que se investigue si AySA está contaminando el Riachuelo
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/248029

* Español: Guatemala: Queman bus y golpean pasajeros en conexión a protestas contra planta de Cementos Progreso
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/802749

* Español: Otra universidad en EE.UU. rompe con firma de ropa Russell, cuestionada por derechos laborales en Honduras (ya van 9 universidades)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/973811

* Español: México: Por lo menos 15 empresas en Aguascalientes integran a discapacitados en su lista laboral
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/974993

* Español: Colombia: Central Unitaria de Trabajadores rechaza que protección de amenazados pase a empresas privadas de seguridad
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/905147

* Español: Panamá: Vecinos de empresa ENSOL piden su cierre debido a "afectaciones" por gases tóxicos
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/613301

* Español: Bolivia: Gobierno decreta que empresas no podrán despedir trabajadores con hijos de hasta 1 año
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/662567

* Español: Colombia: Unión Fenosa aporta becas parciales para educación superior de jóvenes pobres
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/535874

* Español: EarthRights publica detalles sobre las inversiones en Birmania de empresas Chinas - dice que "proporcionan apoyo financiero a la junta militar"
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/235347

* Français : Représentants de peuples indigènes du Niger, d'Australie et des Etats-Unis alertent des parlementaires américains des dangers de l'extraction de l'uranium
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/805614

* Français : Inde : Ikea donne $48 millions au programme de l'UNICEF pour la santé et la survie de l'enfant
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/874873

* Français : Nigeria : Le torchage pratiqué par les compagnies pétrolières est un « désastre écologique et économique », selon un article d'AFP
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/198748

* Français : Rép. Dém. du Congo : Rapport d'un atelier de formation sur le développement durable dans l'exploitation pétrolière et minière
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/712659

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