TMU CSR Institute zoom session: Business and Human Rights -- In conversation with the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability

About this talk

There are 45 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, each with unique social, historical, economic, legal and other characteristics, challenges and opportunities. A 2022 UNDP report (external link)  indicated that the African region has lagged behind other regions in efforts to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and that governments, the African Union and civil society must receive more support to hold corporations accountable for human rights violations.

The purpose of this session is to shed light on the distinctive business and human rights situation in Africa, from a civil society perspective. What is working? What are the biggest challenges? What sectors and what countries are the most problematic from a business and human rights standpoint? What is the nature of business and human rights decision-making (at the AU level, and within individual countries), from the standpoint of laws, court decisions, and responses to initiatives such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and laws such as the German Supply Chain due diligence law? How has civil society organized itself to communicate its positions and concerns? How effective has the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA) been in having its priorities addressed?

These and other questions are addressed in this session.

About the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability

The African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (external link)  (ACCA) was launched with the support of Global Rights in November 2013. To date, the ACCA has 137 member organizations from 32 African countries that support African communities and individuals whose human rights are adversely impacted daily by the activities of corporations, both multi-national and domestic.

ACCA gathers civil society organisations working on issues ranging from mining and other extractive industries to public and private security sector accountability, natural resource rights, including land acquisition, tenure, and property rights, financial regulatory policy, and accountability mechanisms for human and people’s rights and environmental rights.

ACCA uses policy advocacy, evidence-based research, capacity-building, and technical support to promote community rights, as affected by businesses, at regional and international levels. It also focuses on national domestication and implementation of regional and international mechanisms.

The talk is co-sponsored by the TMU Corporate Social Responsibility Student Society, and the TMU Law and Business Student Association.

About the Speakers

Lyse Mpema is the Acting Project Manager at ACCA. She holds a bachelor's degree in Communication for Development and a Master's degree in Governance. Prior to joining ACCA, Lyse gained experience in both the development and private sectors across various African countries, specifically in the African Great Lakes Region.

Lloyd Kuveya is the Assistant Director at ACCA. He holds an LLB (Honours) from the University of Zimbabwe and an LLM from the University of Pretoria.

Guillain Koko is a Human Rights Lawyer and Social Justice activist, specialization in Business and Human Rights. He is the former project coordinator of ACCA and currently associated with the League for Justice and Development (LDJ) as its co-founder and Senior Legal Counselor. He holds a Law degree, LLB from the Catholic University of Bukavu (UCB), in the DRC Congo, and a Master's degree in Law (LLM) in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria, in South Africa.

About the Moderator, Prof Kernaghan Webb

Dr. Kernaghan Webb is an Associate Professor in the Toronto Metropolitan University Department of Law and Business, and is the Director of the TMU Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility.