Human Rights & Business in Kenya
Agenda
1.What are Human Rights?
2.Why are Human Rights important to
Business?
3.Human Rights Challenges in Kenya
4.Group Discussions
What are human rights?
“Human rights are universal legal guarantees protecting
individuals and groups against actions which interfere
with fundamental freedoms and human dignity”
— Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Source of Human Rights
UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS (1948)
ILO Declaration on
Fundamental Principles and
Rights at Work (1998)
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT
OF CIVIL AND POLITICAL
RIGHTS (1966)
— 153 countries
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL RIGHTS (1966)
— 149 countries
Exercise on the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (1948)
•
Right to a fair trial
•
Right to adequate health
•
Right to adequate food
•
Right to adequate housing
•
Right to adequate standard of living
•
Right to education
•
Right to family life
•
Right to freedom from discrimination
•
Right to freedom from forced labour and servitude
•
Right to freedom from torture, or degrading treatment or punishment
•
Right to freedom of assembly and collective bargaining
•
Right to freedom of movement
•
Right to freedom of opinion, expression, thought, and religion
•
Right to intellectual property
•
Right to life, liberty and security of person
•
Right to own property
•
Right to participation in cultural life
•
Right to privacy
•
Right to take part in government
•
Right to work and to just and favourable conditions at work
1. Please choose three rights that you consider to be the most important overall
2. What do you think, how many of these rights are also mentioned in the Kenyan
Constitution?
What are Human Rights?
BODILY INTEGRITY
Life - Liberty - Security - Movement
Slavery - Torture
BASIC NEEDS
Food - Water - Health
Housing - Education - Work
CIVIL LIBERTIES
Fair Trial - Thought Religion –
Expression - Assembly - Association
Culture - Political Participation Family Privacy
Why are human rights important
to business?
Why are Human Rights important to Business?
• Compliance with laws
• Satisfying customer concerns/reputational
risks
• Building strong ties to the community
• Business relationships
• Working environment
Human Rights Challenges in
Kenya
LABOUR ISSUES
COMMUNITY IMPACTS
 VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THE
WORKPLACE
 VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THE
COMMUNITY
The right to freedom from discrimination
The right to freedom from discrimination
 CHILD LABOUR
 ENVIRONMENT
The right to education;The right to work and just and
favourable conditions of work
The right to health;
The right to adequate food;
 FORCED LABOUR
 LAND & PROPERTY
The right to freedom from
forced labour and servitude
The right to own property
 OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH & SAFETY
The right to health;The right to work and just and
favourable conditions of work
 TRADE UNIONS
The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of
association
 WORKING CONDITIONS
The right to work and just and favourable conditions
of work
 REVENUE TRANSPARENCY &
MANAGEMENT
The right to an adequate standard of living;
The right to take part in government
 SECURITY & CONFLICT
The right to freedom from torture;The right to
life, liberty and security of person
Group Discussions