Integrating a gender perspective into the legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises

A coalition of international organisations recommends that a proposed legally binding treaty on transnational corporations include mandatory gender impact assessments, gender-sensitive justice and remedy mechanisms, and specific protections for women human rights defenders. The statement argues that corporate activities are not gender-neutral and often cause disproportionate harms, such as gender-based violence in extractive industries, which require transformative reparations and the removal of structural barriers to justice.

• The document recommends that the treaty mandate human rights-based gender impact assessments for both planned and existing business operations. These assessments should be conducted by independent entities chosen by the affected community and women through a process of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and must be made public and accessible.
• Corporate activities are not gender-neutral and can exacerbate pre-existing gender roles or cause specific harms. For instance, women and girls face gender-based violence linked to extractive industries and mining, and the migration of men to construction sites significantly alters the lives of local women and girls.
• Justice and remedy mechanisms must be revised to be responsive to the diverse experiences of women and should aim for 'transformative potential' rather than simply returning victims to a previous state that may have been characterized by structural inequality and discrimination.
• Women face specific barriers to accessing justice, including poverty, geographical distance, lack of infrastructure, and gender stereotypes. The document asserts that states must provide legal aid at all stages of legal procedures to ensure systems are physically, economically, and socially accessible to women.
• Women human rights defenders face heightened risks, including rape, sexual harassment, and defamation campaigns that exploit misogynist stereotypes to delegitimize them. The document calls for enhanced protection mechanisms and the cessation of criminal charges against those speaking out about corporate abuses.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2017). Integrating a gender perspective into the legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Gender-issues-in-binding-treaty.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Integrating a gender perspective into the legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises. 2017. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Gender-issues-in-binding-treaty.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Integrating a gender perspective into the legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises |date=20 October 2017 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Gender-issues-in-binding-treaty.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2017integrating, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Integrating a gender perspective into the legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2017}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Gender-issues-in-binding-treaty.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }