By our Law Correspondence
A leading rights advocacy group, Global Rights has commenced the process of advocating for the adoption of voluntary principles on security and human rights by the Nigeria government and multinational companies operating within the country as a way of ending the obviously overwhelming crisis in the extractive industry in the country.
According to Global Rights, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) are a set of non-binding principles created to assist extractive companies to balance security concerns with human rights.
The VPs were said to have been launched in 2000 and are a tripartite multi-stakeholder initiative. Participants include eight countries, states, 12 NGOs, 21 multinational companies and five organizations with observer status.
Global Rights, in a statement, explained that the VPs were developed in response to reports of human rights abuses allegedly committed by security providers contracted by the extractive industry.
The statement added: "The principles apply to interactions with both public and private security forces. They are voluntary, but several companies, both participants and non-participants, have incorporated the VPs into their management systems and agreements with contractors.
"Provisions in voluntary principles include: Regular consultations between companies and host governments and local communities; issues of proportionality and use of force; improved company engagement for protection of human rights by their security contractors; monitoring of progress of investigations into alleged abuses; inclusion of appropriate provisions in contracts and review of the background of private security that companies intend to employ."
According to Global Rights, countries that have signed onto voluntary principles and have recorded positive changes in resolving the crisis in their extractive industry include Colombia and Peru.
