Accelerating Action on Business and Human Rights Amidst Crises and Transformations
As the end of the year approaches and we catch our breath from a busy fall season, it is a good time to reflect back on DCAF’s engagements and activities and identify sources of optimism and progress in a time of uncertainty and instability when it comes to respect for human rights and security by companies in fragile contexts. Culminating in the 14th Annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights and varied side events, DCAF is taking away several key messages:
- International principles must address local and deeply complex community development challenges.
- Collective action and shared goals are crucial to improve implementation of security and human rights guidelines across sectors and regions of the world.
- Companies, investors, civil society organizations, and state actors share a common interest and commitments to ensuring a social license to operate.
- In a time of rapid change and uncertainty, there is a unique opportunity to make great progress.
This year’s forum took place from 24-26 November, with the theme “Accelerating Action on Business and Human Rights Amidst Crises and Transformations”. In addition to a mix of businesses and stakeholders, the presence of investors and strong participation from civil society organizations was particularly notable. The DCAF team was active at the Forum, with a wide range of experience, from long-standing team members to emerging professionals engaging in these discussions for the first time. This mix of perspectives deepened our engagement across sessions.
Several common themes stood out:
- Investors are becoming increasingly influential and engaged actors, seeking practical due diligence tools and clear, actionable information and data on social responsibility risks
- Companies are showing greater awareness of security-related risks, particularly around conflict financing, private security behavior, and operations in conflict-affected settings
- Environmental and human rights issues are converging, with debates over the protection of environmental defenders and environmental due diligence reinforcing the connection between these thematics
On 26 November, as a side event to the Forum, DCAF and partner twentyfifty co-organized a fireside chat titled “From the Ground-Level to the C-Suite: Turning influence into action for heightened human rights due diligence in conflict-affected and high-risk areas”. This discussion brought together a panel of practitioners from the Global Reporting Initiative, the European External Action Service, AngloGold Ashanti, and Justicia Asbl. Discussions following the panel highlighted the EU’s role in ensuring that the supply of critical raw minerals is based on rule of law and respect for rights, as well as strategies for building stakeholder relationships.
As we continue our work following the forum, what stood out most is how the conversation around business and human rights is always evolving, and how important it is that DCAF stays actively engaged in shaping and responding to developments in security governance. Expectations are rising while risks are shifting and new actors are stepping into the space. There was a strong sense of shared responsibility and momentum; in times of uncertainty the opportunity for collaboration and practical solutions only grows.
International principles must indeed become localized: In the weeks that followed the Forum, DCAF has jumped back into supporting our in-country partners and bringing these high-level reflections back to earth, translating them to technical assistance that can promote better governance of security risks and conflict-prevention challenges. From 8-12 December, DCAF was on mission in Mozambique, leading a delegation of civil society, companies, and international embassies seeking to promote engagement of Mozambique stakeholders in the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs). This week, DCAF is also active in the Democratic Republic of Congo, galvanizing the Congolese government around the budding National Action Plan on the VPs – seeking to ensure active host government ownership of the application of this initiative. As we look to 2026, we reaffirm our commitment to reinforcing on-the-ground implementation of international standards in business, security and human rights. We wish all our partners and colleagues a safe and happy holiday season.
