Africa-Press – Mauritius. In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Human Rights Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, in partnership with the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Commonwealth Secretariat, hosted a t online workshop centered on the theme of “Business and Human Rights.
” The event took place on Monday, September 25, 2023, at the Ministry. Dr. S. Haythornthwaite, Adviser and Head, Governance and Peace Directorate of the Commonwealth, and Dr.
Drishtysingh Ramdenee, Secretary General of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry, participated in the conversation. The primary objective of this virtual workshop was to foster a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between business and human rights.
By enhancing awareness of these critical issues, economic operators in Mauritius aim to bolster their capacity to promote and safeguard human rights within their organizations.
The event also served as an opportunity to urge more enterprises to participate in the UN Global Compact, a global initiative designed to align corporate strategies and operations with universal principles concerning human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.
Honourable Avinash Teeluck, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade, delivered an address during the opening ceremony. He highlighted Mauritius’s unwavering commitment to upholding and promoting human rights, as enshrined in the Constitution.
Mauritius has affirmed its dedication to this cause by becoming a party to seven out of nine core UN human rights conventions and enacting relevant legislations over the years to deliver on this endeavour.
Minister Teeluck emphasised that human rights are fundamental and should be upheld by all individuals and entities. The online workshop, he asserted, aims to empower businesses to identify and protect these rights within their own operations, fostering a culture of respect and responsibility.
Furthermore, the Minister stressed the importance of public-private partnerships, particularly in key sectors such as tourism, financial services, and information and communication technologies.
Collaborations of this nature, he stated, are essential for enhancing human rights protection and proactively identifying potential violations. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) were a focal point of the workshop.
These principles provide crucial guidance for responsible business conduct, encompassing the pillars of “Protect, Respect, and Remedy. ” The UNGPs incorporate the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, demonstrating a commitment to core human values in the workplace.
Minister Teeluck acknowledged the participation of thirty-three Mauritian companies which joined the UN Global Compact between 2008 and 2023. Their participation signifies a dedication to aligning corporate strategies and operations with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, reinforcing their commitment to human rights, labour standards, environmental sustainability, and anti-corruption measures.
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