Human Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to open the Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris markets of NYSE Euronext on December 10th, International Human Rights Day.
Ethiopia remains in much need of development aid, particularly in the areas of food security, health, and education. But donors need to hold true to their own policies to ensure that they don’t fund harmful projects, directly or indirectly.
Human Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to comment on the “Reporting Requirements on Responsible Investment in Burma.” This submission supplements a joint comment by United States and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and a coalition comment by the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR), which Human Rights Watch also endorses.
The undersigned United States and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are pleased to submit a public comment regarding the “Reporting Requirements on Responsible Investment in Burma.” Many of our organizations have expressed concerns about the scope and timing of the US government decision to permit new investment in Burma and argued for stronger requirements to be imposed on American companies in view of serious, ongoing human rights and corruption concerns. We nevertheless support the reporting requirements as a valuable–if incomplete and imperfect–means to help advance human rights and political reform, consistent with the US government’s longstanding foreign policy priorities in Burma.
The Qatari government routinely and rigorously enforces some of its laws - those that grant employers extensive control over migrant workers. Its most problematic regulations include the kafala system of sponsorship-based employment, which ties workers to one employer; and an exit visa requirement, which allows employers to prevent workers from leaving the country without their permission.
The World Bank's board of executive directors today agreed to fund transmission lines from southern Ethiopia to Kenya. The controversial Gibe III hydroelectric dam, which is expected to more than double Ethiopia's power generation when it comes into operation in 2014, is going to be a significant power source for the World Bank's project.
Human Rights Watch takes this opportunity to comment on the EBRD’s technical assessments for Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia. Below, we highlight omissions and developments since the drafting of the assessments, which we encourage you to reflect in drafting the upcoming country assessments and operational priorities for these countries.
The World Bank has historically been resistant to addressing human rights. But in the wake of the Arab Spring, it cannot ignore the importance of free speech, association, and assembly to sustainable development. Nor can it continue to turn a blind eye to governments shepherding funds primarily to its supporters with the hope that at least some resources will reach those in need. As the World Bank’s new president, Jim Yong Kim has the opportunity to lead the Bank into a new era by using its voice and resources to bridge the false divide between human rights and development.
Human Rights Watch welcomes the opportunity to comment on the “Reporting Requirements on Responsible Investment in Burma.” This submission supplements a joint comment by United States and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and a coalition comment by the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR), which Human Rights Watch also endorses.
Human Rights Watch takes this opportunity to comment on the EBRD’s technical assessments for Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia. Below, we highlight omissions and developments since the drafting of the assessments, which we encourage you to reflect in drafting the upcoming country assessments and operational priorities for these countries.