In celebration of International Human Rights Day, the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, in partnership with the UA&P School of Social Sciences, Law, and Governance, held a seminar on “Business and Human Rights: Challenges and Opportunities” last December 12 at UA&P.
Since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, nations around the globe, including the Philippines, continue to mark December 10 as Human Rights Day. This year, the EU Delegation in the Philippines shone the spotlight on human rights in the corporate sector, highlighting the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in the Philippine context.
The seminar included a discussion on the government and business sector’s compliance with international standards on human rights in the workplace, focusing on the three main areas outlined in the Guiding Principles – the State duty to protect, the corporate responsibility to respect, and access to remedy.
The seminar was led by EU Ambassador Luc Véron, UA&P President Dr. Winston Conrad Padojinog, United Nations Human Rights Advisor Signe Poulsen, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines Executive Director Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia, diplomatic representatives, heads of businesses, government organizations, and NGOs.
Resource persons/panelists included EU Delegation Trade Head Philipp Dupuis, Employers Confederation of the Philippines Director-General Jose Roland Moya, Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development – ANGOC Executive Director Nathaniel Marquez, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa – Sentro Secretary General Josua Mata, and UA&P Vice Dean Atty. Jeremy Gatdula.
Photos courtesy of the European Union in the Philippines Facebook page.