economic justice resisting neoliberalism

The briefing advocates for a binding UN treaty to end the impunity of transnational corporations (TNCs) in Africa. It details systemic environmental degradation and human rights abuses by companies like Shell in Nigeria, Vale in Mozambique, and ArcelorMittal in South Africa, arguing that national legal systems are often insufficient to provide justice and reparations.

• Transnational corporations in the Niger Delta, including Shell, Chevron, Eni, and Total, have operated with impunity for decades, contributing to systemic environmental degradation and human rights violations. Since 1995, over 5,000 Ogonis have died in violent oil-related conflicts and military actions following the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other activists.
• Victims of corporate abuse in Nigeria face significant juridical hurdles when seeking justice, including high litigation costs, short statutes of limitation, and the burden of proof being placed on the victims. In one case, Ekeremor Zion's legal battle over oil spills lasted 30 years before a compensation judgment of approximately US$200,000 was reached, which Shell refused to pay.
• In Mozambique, Vale's Moatize coal project since 2011 has forcibly displaced 1,365 families in Tete Province and polluted soil and water sources. Affected communities have faced violence from both the company and police while their lawsuits remain stalled in court.
• In South Africa, the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA) won a legal victory against ArcelorMittal SA (AMSA) in June 2015, forcing the company to release a 7,000-page environmental "Master Plan" after a 12-year struggle for transparency.
• Women in Nigeria's Edo State successfully reclaimed 13,750 hectares of land from oil palm and rubber plantation companies, such as Okomu Oil Palm Plc and Iyayi Group, after six years of mobilization against corporate land grabs.
• The document asserts that international human rights law currently has a major gap regarding the cross-border activities of corporations, as existing frameworks like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights rely on voluntary pacts rather than legal accountability.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2016). economic justice resisting neoliberalism. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Africa-booklet-Rules-for-business-right-for-people.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. economic justice resisting neoliberalism. 2016. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Africa-booklet-Rules-for-business-right-for-people.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=economic justice resisting neoliberalism |date=October 2016 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Africa-booklet-Rules-for-business-right-for-people.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2016economic, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{economic justice resisting neoliberalism}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2016}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Africa-booklet-Rules-for-business-right-for-people.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }