2009-08-26

By Editor, CIR

Human rights violations in the emerging markets are the focus of two new reports launched today by global risks analyst, Maplecroft.

Concentrating on the implications for business, the Human Rights Risk Reports for the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and N -11 countries, (Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam) offer in depth analysis of human rights risks for companies with global footprints.

The BRICS and N -11 (Next -11) represent the world's fastest growing economies. They are home to over 60% of the global population, own significant natural resources, provide cheaper labour and are increasingly the site of numerous outsourced supply chains and distribution networks. About 70% of the Fortune 500 global companies procure from these economies. These countries are also home to a large portion of the world's poor, with tens of millions living on less than a dollar a day, lacking access to clean water and educational resources and vulnerable to exploitation in terms of working conditions and remuneration.

Dr Kevin Franklin, director of research and strategy at Maplecroft explains: "Unless these risks are identified, assessed, understood and mitigated the BRICS and N - 11 countries pose significant operational and reputational risk to global companies and international organisations through their business engagements with suppliers, joint venture partners or in their own operations."

According to Maplecroft's Human Rights Risk Index, which ranks 196 countries, Pakistan (4), Bangladesh (13), India (14), Russia (15), Iran (16), China (17), Nigeria (18) and Philippines (21) are all rated "extreme risk."

The Human Rights Risk Reports for the BRICS and N - 11 include a series of country briefings containing Maplecroft's human rights risk indices, which provide comparable country and regional risk scores across 30 human rights categories. They also cover the key areas of human security, labour rights, civil and political rights and access to remedy. These are supplemented by sub-national maps charting violation incidents and detailed analysis of the different human rights risks and dilemmas business face. In addition, the reports offer listings of recent key events and human rights infringements, stakeholder viewpoints and analysis of the effectiveness of state actors in protecting human rights in these countries.

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