As a member of OECD Watch, CORE and other member organisations have launched a campaign calling for the improved effectiveness of OECD National Contact Points (NCPs) so that NCPs can provide access to remedy for victims of business related human rights abuses.
NCPs were established as a means to ensure business compliance with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and offer a state-based non-judicial grievance mechanism for victims of corporate abuse to seek remedial justice.
Governments that adhere to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises have an obligation to establish effective NCPs in accordance with the four criteria of visibility, accessibility, transparency and accountability. The NCPs must also follow the four principles of impartiality, predictability, equitability and compatibility.
However, at present, victims’ complaints filed with NCPs relating to corporate abuse rarely result in any remedy, and the OECD’s Working Party on Responsible Business conduct has reported that NCPs are often under-resourced, consequently failing to adhere to the four criteria or four principles outlined in the Guidelines’ procedural rules.
OECD Watch’s new campaign will consist in nearly a dozen national level campaigns aimed at getting policy-makers to observe their obligations under the OECD Guidelines and recognise that access to remedy is the reason for NCPs. This recognition will give NCPs the confidence to make determinations on corporate non-compliance with the Guidelines.
For more information on the campaign go to the OECD Watch campaign website.
Additional resources can be found on the relevant publications page, including our campaign demands, 4×10 brief for policymakers, and the Remedy Remains Rare research report.