27 January 2021

The bumpy road to the implementation of the French duty of vigilance law: A focus on the risks for human rights defenders


27 January 2021, 5:00 pm

The Project on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ProDESC), Friends of the Earth France (FOE), the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)  and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) invite you to participate in the virtual event “The bumpy road to the implementation of the French Duty of Vigilance Law: a focus on the risks for Human Rights Defenders.”

From two study cases where communities and organizations in Mexico and Uganda have filed lawsuits on the basis of the French duty of vigilance law, we will explore the challenges faced and those that remain ahead in their quest for justice in the global south territories affected by the activities of French companies. 

Recovering their experiences, the panelists will insist on the increasing risks human rights defenders are facing on the ground and the responsibilities of companies in tolerating or directly contributing to increasing pressure against them. At the same time they will delve into the legal challenges that companies’ responses and judicial decisions entail, in the search for accountability. These experiences will open the floor for reflexions on the new project of legislation being discussed at the EU level.

Speakers:

  • Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
  • Raphaël Glucksmann, French Member of the European Parliament
  • Verónica Vidal, deputy director, ProDESC (EDF case in México).
  • Juliette Renaud, senior campaigner, Friends of the Earth France (Total Uganda case) 
  • Maxwell Atuhura, human rights defender, NAVODA (Total Uganda case)
  • tba, human rights defender (EDF case in México)

Moderation: Maddalena Neglia, Director of Globalisation and Human Rights Desk, FIDH

Spanish-English interpretation will be available. 

Please register here

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