Communication Groupe de Travail ONU sur le Cambodge

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Working Group on the issue of human

rights and transnational corporations

and other business enterprises

OHCHRPalais des Nations

CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

10 March 2014

Re: Communication to the Working Group on the issue of human rights, transnational

corporations and other business enterprises: Request for clarification on the application of the

Guiding Principles concerning human rights and working conditions in Cambodias garment

sector.

ear Me!"ers o# the $or%in& Gro'(,

)he *nternational +ederation #or H'!an Ri&hts +*H and its !e!"er or&anisations in Ca!"odia,the Ca!"odian H'!an Ri&hts evelo(!ent .ssociation .HOC and the Ca!"odian /ea&'e #orthe Pro!otion and e#ence o# H'!an Ri&hts /*C.HO, want to draw o'r attention to serio'sh'!an ri&hts violations a&ainst &ar!ent wor%ers in Ca!"odia )he on&oin& a"'ses, as well as theris% o# #'rther deterioration o# (olitical, social, and econo!ic conditions in the &ar!ent sector as ares'lt o# these violations, re'ires o'r i!!ediate intervention

Cambodian goernment fails to respect, protect, and fulfil worker rights

3nder the 3N G'idin& Princi(les on 'siness and H'!an Ri&hts 3NGPs, states have an

o"li&ation to (rotect (eo(le #ro! "'siness-related h'!an ri&hts a"'ses thro'&h 5e##ective (olicies,le&islation, re&'lations, and ad6'dication71

)he Ca!"odian a'thorities8 'se o# lethal #orce to s'((ress stri%in& wor%ers and the ar"itrar arrestand detention o# wor%ers and trade 'nionists in earl 9an'ar 2014 clearl shows that the&overn!ent violated its o"li&ation to res(ect, (rotect, and #'l#il wor%er ri&hts *n late ece!"er201: in Phno! Penh and several other (rovinces, tens o# tho'sands o# &ar!ent wor%ers "e&anstri%es and (rotests to de!and that the &overn!ent increase the !ini!'! !onthl wa&e #ro!3S;11, who were seen "randishin&

1 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Principle 1.

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!etal (i(es, %nives, .?4@ ri#les, slin&shots, and "atons, attac%ed stri%in& wor%ers o'tside a &ar!ent#actor in Phno! Penh8s P'rsenche istrict in6'rin& over 20 (eo(le /ater that sa!e da, !ilitar

(olice and (olice #orces entered the Canadia *nd'strial Par% in so'thwest Phno! Penh and violentldis(ersed stri%in& wor%ers who were dancin& in #ront o# #actories with lo'ds(ea%ers On : 9an'ar2014, a#ter 'ns'ccess#'l atte!(ts to re!ove stri%in& wor%ers #ro! the road at the Canadia *nd'strialPar%, (olice shot and %illed at least #o'r wor%ers and in6'red :


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!usiness enterprises show utter disregard for workers fundamental rights

.ccordin& to the 3NGPs, "'siness enter(rises !'st 5avoid ca'sin& or contri"'tin& to adverseh'!an ri&hts i!(acts thro'&h their own activities711)his res(onsi"ilit also a((lies to e!(loeror&anizations, s'ch as the Gar!ent Man'#act'rers .ssociation in Ca!"odia GM.C, and their

!e!"ers +*H, .HOC, and /*C.HO noted with concern that GM.C showed 'tter disre&ard#or wor%er ri&hts GM.C re#'sed to conde!n the Ca!"odian &overn!ent8s 'se o# lethal #orce todis(erse stri%in& wor%ers on : 9an'ar 201412 *n addition, over 100 &ar!ent #actories a##iliatedwith GM.C #iled laws'its a&ainst the siB trade 'nions that la'nched the stri%es in ece!"er 201:,alle&in& ille&al actions in incitin& stri%es and destr'ction o# (rivate (ro(ert 1: !(loers alsoretaliated a&ainst wor%ers who (artici(ated in the stri%e Gar!ent #actories in the Manhattan S(ecialcono!ic Done in Sva Rien& Province #ired or s's(ended at least A0 wor%ers and ('rs'ed le&alaction a&ainst others #or (artici(atin& in the stri%e to de!and an increase in the !ini!'! !onthlwa&e at the end o# ece!"er 201:14*t was also re(orted that d'rin& the !onth o# 9an'ar, at least12 #actories #ired !ore than 100 trade 'nion re(resentatives #or enco'ra&in& wor%ers to stri%e #or anincrease in the !onthl !ini!'! wa&e1A

*n a res(onse letter to +*H and its !e!"er or&anizations dated +e"r'ar 1@, GM.C clai!ed thatthe stri%es " the siB trade 'nions re(resentin& &ar!ent wor%ers were 5ille&al71= GM.C andanother e!(loer or&anization, the Ca!"odian +ederation o# !(loers and 'siness .ssociationsC.M+., also clai!ed that the ri&ht to stri%e is not a #'nda!ental ri&ht and that */OConvention No

Global brands must do more to ensure protection of workers rights

.ccordin& to the 3NGPs, a "'siness enter(rise has the res(onsi"ilit to res(ect h'!an ri&hts andthis res(onsi"ilit eBtends to their "'siness (artners and all "'siness entities in their s'((l chain 20

csi.org+$MG+pdf+itucpressstatement/draft.pdf11 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights Principle 1 CaD12 3am-odia %ail), GMA !e"ends #se o" $orce Against %tri&ing Wor&ers, (anuar) 9, !1"in its letter of response to #$%H and its

mem-er organiEations of (anuar)17th !1", GMA3 stated that it Fcondemns the use of 0iolence in an) industrial dispute, -ut ent onto affirm that it Ffull) supports the Go0ernment&s actions in maintaining la and order and protecting pu-lic and pri0ate propert).http*++.gmac/cam-odia.org+

13 3am-odia %ail), 1'' $actories %uing #nions (ehind %tri&e , 1! (anuar) !1"14 Phnom Penh Post, %)ay Rieng garment wor&ers "ired* suspended, 1! (anuar) !1"15 Phnom Penh Post, #nion reps "ired a"ter stri&e, ? (anuar) !1".16

GMA3 response to the #$%H, A%H23, and 8$3A%H2 5oint letter C17 (anuar) !1"D, a0aila-le at* http*++.gmac/cam-odia.org+nese0ent+!1"+!1+!/!1/!1"+fidh+fidh/gmac/response.pdf/ Accessed on 1! March !1".17 Phnom Penh Post, Groups tell ILO to retract +right to stri&e, claim , 9 #e-ruar) !1".18 3lean 3lothes 3ampaign, Pa) garment orers a li0ing age,http*++.cleanclothes.org+li0ingage+sign19

$4U3, for instance, has initiated campaigns in this regard. ee* 3ount us in,.ituc/csi.org+count/us/in20 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Principle 1, 3ommentar).

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http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ituc_press_statement_-_draft_3_.pdfhttp://www.gmac-cambodia.org/http://www.gmac-cambodia.org/news_event/2014/01/20-01-2014/fidh/fidh-gmac-response.pdfhttp://www.gmac-cambodia.org/news_event/2014/01/20-01-2014/fidh/fidh-gmac-response.pdfhttp://www.cleanclothes.org/livingwage/signhttp://www.ituc-csi.org/count-us-inhttp://www.ituc-csi.org/count-us-inhttp://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ituc_press_statement_-_draft_3_.pdfhttp://www.gmac-cambodia.org/http://www.cleanclothes.org/livingwage/signhttp://www.ituc-csi.org/count-us-inhttp://www.gmac-cambodia.org/news_event/2014/01/20-01-2014/fidh/fidh-gmac-response.pdfhttp://www.gmac-cambodia.org/news_event/2014/01/20-01-2014/fidh/fidh-gmac-response.pdf


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Glo"al "rands so'rcin& in Ca!"odia have ('"licl ac%nowled&ed their s'((ort #or a 5ro"'st!ini!'! wa&e review !echanis! "ased on international &ood (ractices721 )he have alsoeB(ressed their willin&ness to wor% with the Ca!"odian &overn!ent to ens're that wor%er ri&htsare res(ected22

However, the &lo"al "rands !'st do !ore to ens're that their s'((liers res(ect wor%er ri&hts,

incl'din& the ri&ht to an ade'ate wa&e that !eets !ini!'! livin& standards and the ri&ht to#reedo! o# association Glo"al "rands sho'ld contin'all carr o't h'!an ri&hts d'e dili&ence thatidenti#ies and resolves wor%er ri&hts violations co!!itted " their s'((liers )he $or%in& Gro'(has 'nderscored that when international "rands are lin%ed with ne&ative i!(acts on h'!an ri&htsthro'&h their s'((liers, the have the 5res(onsi"ilit to eBercise their levera&e as "'ers to tr toe##ect chan&e72:

)he $or%in& Gro'(s sho'ld also call on &lo"al "rands to act res(onsi"l and re#rain #ro!threatenin& to relocate (rod'ction to chea(er la"o'r !ar%ets Res(ect #or wor%er ri&hts, incl'din&an ade'ate wa&e that !eets !ini!'! livin& standards, is not ne&otia"le and !'st not "e a #actorin deter!inin& the &lo"al "rands8 so'rcin& strate&ies

"ome states of business enterprises hae a dut# to protect human rights

.ccordin& to the 3NGPs, 5states sho'ld set o't clearl the eB(ectation that all "'siness enter(risesdo!iciled in their territor andFor 6'risdiction res(ect h'!an ri&hts thro'&ho't their o(erations724

)he $or%in& Gro'( sho'ld call on ho!e states o# "'siness enter(rises so'rcin& in Ca!"odia toenact le&islation with an eBtraterritorial sco(e to ens're that these transnational cor(orations are notinvolved in h'!an ri&hts a"'ses )he $or%in& Gro'( sho'ld #or!'late clear reco!!endations toho!e states o# "'siness enter(rises so'rcin& in Ca!"odia to enact le&islation ai!ed at creatin&incentives #or their "'siness enter(rises to i!(le!ent h'!an ri&hts d'e dili&ence thro'&ho't theirs'((l chains Other le&islative !eas'res sho'ld incl'de trans(arenc o"li&ations #or "'sinessenter(rises, s'ch as the o"li&ation to ('"licl disclose in#or!ation concernin& actions ta%en to!iti&ate or end h'!an ri&hts a"'ses

*n addition, !ost victi!s o# "'siness-related h'!an ri&hts a"'ses are 'na"le to o"tain e##ectivere!edies thro'&h the 6'dicial sste!s o# the ho!e state #or the "'siness enter(rise )here#ore, theho!e states o# transnational cor(orations so'rcin& in Ca!"odia !'st ado(t and en#orce le&islationthat ens'res access to e##ective re!ed #or victi!s o# h'!an ri&hts violations and i!(ose sanctionson (rivate "'siness enter(rises res(onsi"le #or h'!an ri&hts a"'ses

$ictims of business%related abuses hae no access to effectie remed#

)he 3NGPs stress that states !'st ta%e a((ro(riate ste(s to ens're, thro'&h 6'dicial,ad!inistrative, le&islative or other a((ro(riate !eans, that when "'siness-related a"'ses occ'rwithin their territor andFor 6'risdiction those a##ected have access to e##ective re!ed2A

)he Ca!"odian 6'diciar #ails to co!(l with the 3NGPs with re&ard to access to re!ed *n his

21 2pen letter to go0ernment, manufacturers and trade unions calling for peaceful resolution of nationide strie lined to the3am-odian garment industr) annual minimum age increase, 7 (anuar) !1".

22 (oint letter from glo-al -rands and the Glo-al Unions to the Prime Minister of 3am-odia, 17 (anuar) !1".23 UN e;pert -od) urges international -rands to or ith Bangladesh to pre0ent another garment disaster, ? Ma) !1.24

UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Principle .25 $-id, Principle 6.

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201: re(ort to the 3N H'!an Ri&hts Co'ncil, 3N S(ecial Ra((orte'r on the sit'ation o# h'!anri&hts in Ca!"odia S'ra S'"edi noted that Ca!"odia8s 6'diciar contin'ed to "e characterized "wides(read corr'(tion and lac% o# inde(endence, ca(acit, and reso'rces 2=.s a res'lt, the 3NS(ecial Ra((orte'r said that the &eneral ('"lic lac%ed con#idence in the 6'diciar8s a"ilit to

(rovide e##ective re!edies #or h'!an ri&hts violations2@)he 3N S(ecial Ra((orte'r also #o'ndthat si&ni#icant o"stacles, s'ch as a shorta&e o# lawers and lac% o# national le&al aid sste!,

contin'ed to (revent (eo(le8s ade'ate access to the 6'stice sste!2

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