Human rights (and the new challenges)

If there was one good thing about the World Cup in Qatar, it was that it again demonstrated that the concept of human rights is useful and valid for denouncing injustices and abuses around the world. This lies in the flexibility of the concept for responding to new challenges facing humanity. One of these challenges, directly linked to the organization of the World Cup, is the role and responsibility of the private sector for human rights. This is especially relevant as due diligence is emerging as one of the key tools for controlling the unstoppable advance of the private sector in public affairs.

Since 1948, the foundations on which the contemporary idea of human rights, and the mechanisms that protect them, have been developed through the prism of an actor who is obliged to respect, protect, and fulfill these rights: the state. However, the dynamics of globalization in recent decades have highlighted the power and impact of the private sector. Three examples come to mind: Twitter and freedom of expression; Inditex and its supply chain; the farming sector and migrant workers. Human rights are no longer just a matter for states.

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Author: 
Jordi Vives, academic collaborator at Esade's Institute for Social Innovation