- Ruggie J (2007) Human Rights Impact Assessment – resolving key methodological questions. A/HRC/4/74.
ABSTRACT: “The present report is submitted pursuant to Commission resolution 2005/69, which asks the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises to develop materials and methodologies for undertaking human rights impact assessments for business activity (paragraph 1 (d) of the mandate), and Council decision 1/102. While the Special Representative of the Secretary-General indicated in his interim report that developing such materials and methodologies would be beyond the mandate’s time and resource constraints, this report describes principles and characteristics of human rights impact assessments for business, including similarities to environmental and social impact assessments, and provides updates on current initiatives.”
- Mungoven, R (2016) Walking the Talk: Exploring Methodologies and Applications for Human Rights Impact Assessment by the United Nations. Sabbatical Report, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
ABSTRACT: “Over the past two decades, human rights impact assessment (HRIA) has emerged as a distinct methodology for anticipating or measuring the positive or negative impact of policies and projects on human rights. It has fast been adopted by civil society for advocacy as well as mobilizing and empowering local communities, by governments as a public policy tool, and increasingly by business as a form of corporate due diligence. But although HRIA has its origins in the international human rights framework and has been advocated by the United Nations (UN) human rights mechanisms, the UN itself has been slow to adopt and apply it in its own practice. This study suggests ways HRIA could help United Nations agencies exercise due diligence in avoiding or mitigating negative human rights risks associated with their projects and programmes, as well as optimize their positive human rights benefits in support of broader sustainable development outcomes.”
