Oil
Workshop report, business and Human Rights: an Asia Perspective
Promoting human rights and stakeholder involvement in the Asian petroleum sector
Authors:
Publisher:
International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation , 2006
This document presents the outcomes of a workshop organised by the Social Responsibility Working Group of the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) focusing on Asia. It also reviews case studies of companies active in the area.
Some of the overall workshop outcomes discussed in the document include:
- companies need to define the boundaries of their roles and responsibilities with regard to human rights and, where possible, discuss the boundaries openly with stakeholders
- security – whether public or private - should draw on human rights principles and partnerships. This may include human rights training for private or government security staff to build capacity and awareness
- community support and promoting human rights is highly beneficial to creating a secure environment
- it is important to recognise indigenous rights as a distinct issue within human rights, and understand companies’ role in addressing indigenous rights issues
- companies should evaluate the current legal framework, conduct social baseline studies, and engage with the local community to enable better understanding of their values and to understand local laws and practice
- locally elected representatives are a good way to establish contact points with communities to understand expectations, assess human rights situations, distribute information, raise questions and grievances, and ensure open dialogue
- auditing mechanisms, such as HRIAs (Human Rights Impact Assessments), are important ways to ensure human rights policies are being implemented properly.
