Globalization
and
Human Rights
LAWS Global Citizenship Conference
Josephine Wong and Parneet Kahlon
Agenda
• The globalization and human rights nexus
o Definitions and Implications
• Case studies
o The oil and beverage industries – who knew?
• Where do we go from here?
o Things we can do
o Resources
The Nexus
Globalization and Human Rights
What is globalization?
Ongoing process
Across Time and
Space
Integration
Economies
Communication
Ideas
Trade
Examples of globalization
• Smoothie:
o
o
o
o
Banana from Colombia
Strawberries from California
Milk from Michigan
Juice from South Africa
• Clothing:
o
o
o
o
Socks from Bangladesh
Shirt from Thailand
Jeans from India
Sweater from Cambodia
What are human rights?
Guaranteed
Universal
Rights and
Freedoms
Universal
Declaration
of Human
Rights
Examples of human rights
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of religion
- Right to life
- Freedom of expression
- Right to equality before
the law
- Freedom from
discrimination
Clip
Globalization and
human rights
• Companies operate across borders and are gaining
increasing influence and power
• Corporate activity has not always benefited the
society it operates in
• There are few effective tools to prevent human
rights abuses or hold companies accountable
• People affected are left powerless and vulnerable
• Natural environments are exploited, unprotected,
and have devastating long-term implications
Case Studies
What’s happening in the world?
Case #1
A large oil company begins
operations in Nigeria. As
people living in the oilextraction region begin to
voice their concerns with
regards to environmental
and worker abuses, the
company finances the
military who then conduct
mass raids. The leader of the
group calling for justice
faces unfounded
accusations and is
eventually executed.
Wiwa v. Royal Dutch Shell
Shell began oil production in Nigeria in 1958
and worked with the government to quell
opposition to its presence. Shell financed and
assisted violent military raids against popular
movements by the Ogoni people who raised
concerns with respect to the widespread
poverty, inequalities, human rights abuses,
and environmental
degradation
occurring
in
What
are
the
pros
and
cons
of
the region. Wiwa, the founder and leader of
the human rights group called Movement for
the Survival of the Ogoni People, was falsely
accused, arrested, detained, convicted, and
executed by hanging in 1995. The case of
Wiwa v. Royal Dutch Shell was brought by
human rights groups and lawyers against
Shell on grounds of human rights violations,
crimes against humanity, and torture. In 2009,
Shell agreed to a settlement of $15.5 million.
settlements?
ABC News (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/ 2009/06/09/2593497.htm)
Case #2
A large American beverage
manufacturer has partner
factories in Colombia. Both the
beverage corporation and the
partner companies face charges
of directing paramilitary groups
in the intimidation, kidnap, and
murder of trade unionists. The
court dismisses the case against
the beverage corporation on the
grounds that the events are
geographically too far removed
from the corporations
headquarters.
In 2001, Sinaltrainal, representing workers in
Colombian facilities, brought an action
Sinaltrainal v.
alleging Coca Cola’s complicity in human
Coca Cola
rights abuses committed by Colombian
paramilitaries against trade unionists. The
claims outline various human rights abuses
including the torture, kidnapping, unlawful
detention, and murder of Sinaltrainal
leaders and members. The case against
Coca
in 2003
HowCola
dowas
wedismissed
draw the
line when
between corporations’
the Court ruled that the abuses were too
with
regards
far“apathy”
removed from
Coca
Cola’s to government action vs.
headquarters
in the “support”
US. Subsequently,
the
corporations’
of government
action?
case against two of Coca Cola’s
Colombian bottling companies were
dismissed in 2006. The court held that the
plaintiffs’ claims did not suffice to find war
crimes under international law and failed
to draw a close enough connection
between the Colombian government and
the three defendant companies.
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Where do we go from here?
Things we can do
• Learn about human rights issues: they are
everywhere
o What’s in the news?
• Raise awareness
o Talk to your family, friends, teachers…
o Spark dialogue and discussion
• Become a member of a human rights group
• Advocate
o Write to the government and speak to community leaders
• Be conscious of everyday life
o Notice where your clothing and food comes from
o Think about how it got to you
o Question how it was made, who was involved, and the impact it may
have no other human beings and natural environments around the world
Resources
• Earth Rights
International
o http://www.earthrights.org/
• Business and Human
Rights Resource Centre
o http://www.businesshumanrights.org/Home
• CorpWatch
o http://www.corpwatch.org
• Amnesty International
o http://www.amnesty.org
• U of T’s International
Human Rights Program
o http://www.utorontoihrp.com
• David Asper Centre for
Constitutional Rights
o http://www.aspercentre.ca
Questions?