The course encompasses a 5-week period. Participants are expected to engage in approximately 25 hours of active learning through readings, videos, discussions and quizzes.

The course is articulated in two modules:

Module 1 focuses on the general international framework on the relation between business and human rights. In particular, it summarily explains standards, mechanisms, benefits and challenges in the current set up, especially at the United Nations and regional level. Specific attention will be paid to the UN Guiding Principles, the UN Global Compact, and other recent initiatives, examples and practices.

Module 2 is dedicated to specific themes of pressing value: the protection of human rights defenders working on business-related abuses; the case-law emerging from recent developments; corporate responsibility to respect human rights and the development of legislation on mandatory due diligence; the challenges of intersectionality and in particular the situation of children caught up in the worst forms of child labour. In so doing, the course analyses the links with the international framework and provides examples from different regional areas.

Module 1 - International Framework

• 1

  18 – 24 January 2021

  A rights-based approach to business

  
  Zdzisław (Dzidek) Kędzia, GC Honorary President, Poland
  Surya Deva, UN WG on Business and Human Rights/City University Hong Kong

Module 2 - Focus Areas

• 2

  25 – 31 January 2021

  Protecting business-related Human Rights Defenders

  
  Ana Zbona, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, UK

• 3

  1 – 7 February 2021

  Developing case-law

  
  Maria José Veramendi, Amnesty International, Peru
  Arnold Kwesiga, University of Pretoria, South Africa

• 4

  8 – 14 February 2021

  Corporate responsibility to respect human rights and due diligence

  
  Claire Methven O’Brian, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Denmark
  Ravi Prakash Vyas, Kathmandu School of Law, Nepal

• 5

  15 – 21 February 2021

  Intersectionality and groups most at risk: the case of children

  
  Harpreet Kaur, UNDP Business and Human Rights in Asia, Thailand
  Nkatha Murungi, University of Pretoria, South Africa