Tripoli, 23 February 2014:
The Libyan National Council for Civil Liberties and Human Rights (NCCLHR) has set a precedent in the Maghreb . . .[restrict]by being the first North African human rights organisation to adopt the UN Guiding Principles for business and human rights (UNGP).
Also known as the Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework, this addresses human rights in commercial and business areas. The UN introduced the UNGP in 2011 to give corporate responsibility both within a state and internationally, taking human rights into account in everyday aspects of life.
The first state to adopt the UNGP was the UK, in September 2013. The NCCLHR has now scored two firsts by being the first independent human rights body to adopt it, as well as making Libya the first country in the Maghreb to sign up to the principles.
Adopting UNGP came as part of a move to raise the profile of NCCLHR internationally, which included a recent visit to Brussels to meet representatives at a number of EU institutions. The NCCLHR delegation was lead by the head of international co-operation, Faraj Al-Elagely, and supported by their UK Counsel, David Hammond.
The EU was now fully-engaged with the NCCLHR, giving a real boost to the organisation, Hammond told the Libya Herald. This was the first time it had raised its profile internationally, he said, adding that this would give NCCLHR and its work much more weight.
Representatives from the NCCLHR will be heading to London in early March to attend the UN annual international law lecture, the focus of which will be human rights in post-revolution states. The Libyan ambassador to the UK, Mahmud Nacua, as well as other staff from the London embassy have already confirmed their attendance for the event. [/restrict]
