Business, Human Rights, and Uganda’s Oil; Part III: Respect and Remedy: Implementing corporate responsibility under the UN Framework on Business and Human Rights

The following is the third in a series of four reports exploring business and human rights issues in Uganda’s oil sector. This series is a collaboration between IPIS vzw and ActionAid Uganda.

The 2011 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights operationalise the 2008 Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework. In accordance herewith, this third report assesses the duty of businesses to respect human rights. A particular focus is maintained upon the three multinational oil companies operating in Uganda’s oil sector - CNOOC, Tullow, and Total. Yet, a number of other active companies in Uganda’s oil sector are equally assessed for how they are demonstrating their commitment to do no harm, sometimes in reference to industry best practice.

The foundations of the Guiding Principles are introduced – primarily, that businesses have a duty to respect human rights, and what this duty means in practice. This includes analysis of which human rights are relevant, and how different contexts and industry sectors affect a business’ sphere of influence, and therefore level of responsibility.