Save the date: 14th - 15th September 2016
Venue: Makerere University Main Hall
Objectives
The aim of the 3rd Conference is to initiate and contribute to public dialogue about business and human rights and enhance the need to build structures and frameworks that enhance respect and protection of human rights by businesses, as well as ensuring access to remedies in cases of abuses. The Conference will be used as a forum for disseminating a baseline study on the state of corporate accountability in Uganda. It will also explore the international and regional responses in this field, and how these can be affected in Uganda. Comparative approaches, particularly focusing on National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights will be discussed and best practices underlined.
Participant information and structure
The Conference is targeting up to 600 participants including policy makers, corporate actors, private sector, officers from independent statutory bodies, practitioners and activists, academics, researchers, development partners, community groups and members of the general public who will be directly involved in the conference. The wider population in Uganda will benefit indirectly from the outcomes of the conference. Participation in the conference is open to all members of the public, but key stakeholders and special interest groups will be targeted for specific invitations to provide particular input. The conference will comprise of Keynote speeches by eminent persons, panel discussions and plenaries. There will also be exhibitions by organizations working on ESCRs and documentary screenings.
Expected outcomes
The conference is expected to be agenda-setting, and to produce tangible outcomes, including but not limited to raising awareness about the relationship between business and human rights. The conference will also be used to disseminate the study on corporate accountability in Uganda. The Conference will generate a report summarising key debates and discussion, and a Resolution detailing key messages to policy makers resulting from the discussions at the Conference. Most importantly, however, the Conference intends to bring ESCRs into the larger national policy debates and increase knowledge and understanding about ESCRs in Uganda.