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1,476 results
Royal Dutch Shell in the Niger Delta Complaint to the UK and Dutch National Contact Points under the Specific Instance Procedure of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
The document alleges that Royal Dutch Shell uses inflated and unverified statistics to attribute the majority of oil spills in the Niger Delta to sabotage, thereby avoiding liability for compensation and deflecting criticism of its environmental and human rights record. The complainants, Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth, argue that Shell's data is biased, lacks independent verification, and in several documented cases, contradicts joint investigation findings that pointed to equipment failure or corrosion.
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Document type: Report
CDM project application 3197 Aguan: Biogas recovery from palm oil mill effluent (POME) ponds and biogas utilisation Exportadora del Atlántico Aguan, Honduras
Biofuel Watch, Salva la Selva/Rettet den Regenwald, and CDM Watch have challenged the proposed CDM project 3197 in Bajo Aguan, Honduras. The organizations argue that the project fails to meet 'sustainable development' and additionality requirements due to the project developer's alleged human rights abuses and disputed land claims.
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Document type: Statement
PAIA Civil Society Network Shadow Report: 2011
The report finds that while civil society usage of PAIA for strategic advocacy has increased, the performance of information holders has declined, characterized by a high rate of 'deemed refusals' and a lack of affordable appeal mechanisms.
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Document type: Report
movilizar, resistir, transformar de luchas y éxitos 40 años
The document outlines four decades of activism by Friends of the Earth International, highlighting specific successes in banning commercial whaling in Spain, prohibiting open-pit mining in Costa Rica, and establishing the first climate change law in the UK. It details diverse campaigns against coal power in Germany, oil pollution in Nigeria, and genetically modified organisms in Europe, while emphasizing the role of grassroots mobilization and legal action in achieving environmental protections and human rights.
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Document type: Report
Dimensions régionales des conflits dans les Grands Lacs
The document is a workshop report detailing the regional dimensions of conflict in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. It examines how the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW), the illegal exploitation of natural resources, and forced displacement create a cycle of instability. The report analyzes the role of regional bodies like the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the East African Community (EAC) in promoting sustainable peace, while highlighting systemic challenges such as weak governance, impunity for human rights violations, and a dependence on external funding.
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Document type: Report
Regional dimensions of conflict in the Great Lakes
The document details a workshop on the regional dimensions of conflict in the Great Lakes Region, analyzing how factors like the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW), illegal exploitation of lootable natural resources, and forced displacement create a self-perpetuating cycle of instability. It examines the role of regional bodies like the ICGLR and EAC in promoting peace and highlights the critical need for good governance, human rights protections, and coordinated regional strategies to address the root causes of violence.
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Document type: Report
Sexual Violence in African Conflicts
The document presents results from a pilot study of 177 armed conflict actors in 20 African countries. It finds that sexual violence is often indiscriminate, frequently committed by state armies, and can persist in post-conflict periods or years with low killing rates. The study emphasizes that sexual violence is not an inevitable part of war, as many actors do not engage in it, and recommends improved reporting mechanisms and targeted interventions to reduce its occurrence.
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Document type: Policy brief
SUBMISSION OF AMICI
The Amici (Fundación Pachamama and IISD) argue that the tribunal should dismiss Chevron's arbitration claims because they seek to interfere in a domestic civil case in Ecuador to which the State is not a party. They contend that the tribunal cannot act as a supervisory or appellate court over ongoing domestic proceedings, especially since Chevron previously agreed to the jurisdiction of Ecuadorian courts to avoid U.S. litigation. Furthermore, they argue that granting the requested relief would violate the international human rights of the indigenous plaintiffs in the Lago Agrio case by denying them access to justice and a fair judicial process.
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Document type: Legal commentary
SITUACIÓN DE DEFENSORES Y DEFENSORAS DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE EN MESOAMÉRICA
The briefing details a systemic pattern of violence, criminalization, and state neglect targeting environmental defenders in Mesoamerica, specifically those opposing mining projects. Testimonies from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama highlight a recurring cycle where high metal prices and trade agreements drive mining expansion, while weak regulatory frameworks and state complicity lead to the murder, disappearance, and harassment of activists. The document argues that states often fail to investigate crimes or protect defenders, instead using the legal system to criminalize protest and ignore the right to free, prior, and informed consent of affected communities.
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Document type: Briefing
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING
The report documents a regional trend of violence against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America linked to industrial mining. It argues that this violence stems from state failure to manage environmental impacts and a lack of protection for defenders, often exacerbated by the influence of foreign mining companies from Canada and the United States. Through case studies in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama, the document details threats, kidnappings, and assassinations, while recommending stronger institutional protections, the implementation of free, prior, and informed consent, and greater accountability for home states of foreign corporations.
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Document type: Report
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICAN IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING
The report documents a growing trend of repression and violence against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, linked to the expansion of industrial mining. It argues that this violence stems from state failure to manage environmental impacts and a lack of protection for human rights defenders, often characterized by high levels of impunity in both host and home countries of mining companies.
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Document type: Executive summary
Defensoras y Defensores Ambientales en Peligro La Situación en México y Centro América En el Ámbito de la Industria Minera
The report documents a regional trend of violence against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, linking these abuses to the social and environmental impacts of industrial mining and the failure of states to protect human rights. It provides case studies from five countries and recommends strengthening institutional protection, environmental regulations, and the right to free, prior, and informed consent.
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Document type: Report
COMMENTS ON IFC’S CONSULTATION DRAFTS OF THE IFC SUSTAINABILITY POLICY AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND DISCLOSURE POLICY
The document argues that the IFC's shift toward an "outcomes-based" approach has reduced its accountability and oversight, leading to inadequate risk identification and poor development outcomes. It calls for a return to more stringent, verifiable requirements, particularly regarding the rights of indigenous peoples, climate change mitigation, and transparency in financial intermediary lending.
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Document type: Statement
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
The document examines how global warming threatens fundamental human rights—including the rights to food, water, health, and housing—and explores the legal frameworks available for redress. It reviews international environmental law, the outcomes of the 2009 Copenhagen Conference, and existing jurisprudence from human rights tribunals. The authors argue that climate-related harms are not 'new territory' for litigation but fit within established legal principles. The paper specifically evaluates the CESCR's current work and proposes eleven recommendations to better anchor climate change in the Committee's state reporting, general comments, and the use of its Optional Protocol for individual and inter-state complaints.
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Document type: Research paper
Submission by Civil Society Organizations to the International Finance Corporation Commenting on The Social and Environmental Sustainability Policy, Performance Standards and Disclosure Policy
The document outlines systemic failures in the IFC's environmental and social due diligence, highlighting an overreliance on unverified client data and inadequate project categorization. It calls for the explicit integration of international human rights standards, including the right to free, prior and informed consent for indigenous peoples, and a strategic shift away from fossil fuel investments toward renewable energy. The authors also criticize the 'loophole' created by financial intermediaries and demand greater transparency in extractive industry contracts.
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Document type: Statement
Submission by Civil Society Organizations to the International Finance Corporation Commenting on the Social and Environmental Sustainability Policy, Performance Standards, and Disclosure Policy
Civil society organizations are calling for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to update its Social and Environmental Sustainability Policy and Performance Standards. They argue that the current framework fails to account for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the urgent need to address climate change, and the lessons of the financial crisis regarding the risks of shifting monitoring responsibilities to private sector clients.
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Document type: Statement
Off Track?
The paper critiques South Africa's first APRM Implementation Report for failing to distinguish between general post-apartheid achievements and specific progress made under the APRM National Programme of Action. It identifies significant gaps in reporting on corruption, xenophobia, and corporate governance, while noting that the report was likely rushed and lacks self-criticism. The author suggests that the South African government viewed the APRM as an external diplomatic requirement rather than a domestic tool for governance improvement.
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Document type: Research paper
Data Protection and Security in Civil Aviation
The document examines how the expansion of aviation security measures—driven primarily by anti-terrorism efforts following 9/11—often conflicts with fundamental human rights, including privacy and dignity. It highlights the lack of enforcement power within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the tendency for political solutions to override legal safeguards. The author argues that many current technologies, such as whole-body scanners and Passenger Name Record (PNR) transfers, may be disproportionate and lack proven effectiveness, recommending a shift toward independent evaluations and non-invasive alternatives.
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Document type: Policy brief
Specific Instance Complaint to the Canadian National Contact Point – Goldcorp Inc.
The complaint, filed by the coalition Frente de Defensa San Miguelense (FREDEMI) and prepared by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), argues that Goldcorp Inc. and its subsidiary Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A. have violated human rights and environmental standards. Key allegations include the acquisition of communal indigenous lands without free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), causing structural damage to homes via explosives, contaminating local water sources with arsenic and cyanide, and depleting water resources. The document also highlights a pattern of retaliation and criminalization of community protesters. FREDEMI requests that the Canadian National Contact Point investigate these claims and recommend that Goldcorp suspend operations, close the mine, and adopt a policy respecting indigenous consent.
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Document type: Report
Another crossroad for Burundi: From the fnl to peaceful elections in 2010
The document details the conclusion of the peace process between the Government of Burundi and the Palipehutu-FNL, including the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of combatants and the movement's transition into a political party. It further analyses the volatile pre-electoral environment for the 2010 polls, highlighting disputes over the electoral code, internal party divisions, and the risk of violence driven by the militarisation of youth leagues and incomplete civilian disarmament.
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Document type: Report