RESPONSIBILITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

Abstract

The rapid expansion of transnational economic activity and corresponding growth in power of transnational corporations and other business entities have prompted renewed international discourse and action over the past decade to address the human rights abuses committed by businesses. This manuscript elucidated the responsibility that transnational corporations have and the extent at which they can be held accountable to human rights abuses. The doctrinal research method was adopted and the data collected were both primary and secondary comprising of both hard copies and online source materials. It was discovered that due to the weak nature of some States and their reluctance to enforce human rights obligations on transnational corporations, they do not respect minimum international human rights standards and can thus be implicated in abuses such as employing child labourers, discriminating against certain groups of employees, failing to provide safe and healthy working conditions, and discouraging the right to bargain collectively amongst others. It is recommended that the nature and scope of responsibilities of transnational corporations with regard to human rights should be clearly defined by a single international document within the framework of the United Nations and a strong enforcement mechanism should be adopted.