Multi-Stakeholder Approach to the Development and Implementation of National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights: Experiences from East Africa

Background 

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East Africa has unique and apt experiences to study on the localisation of Business and Human Rights (BHR). Out of the eight member countries of the East African Community, three have made effort in this regard. Kenya was the first African country to adopt a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP) in June 2019 and was followed by Uganda in August 2021.  Tanzania is the process of concluding the development of her NAPBHR. The processes of developing and implementing the NAPs have resulted from concerted efforts by both state and non-state actors, including development partners, the private sector and steadfast civil society organisations. A representative case study is the European Union funded Advancing Respect for Human Rights by Businesses in Uganda Project, supporting the Government of Uganda to implement the NAPBHR. The project has prioritised a multistakeholder approach, and thus established collaborations with government ministries, departments, and agencies at national and subnational levels; a national human rights institution; private sector actors including businesses and business member organizations, trade unions, an employer organization, and civil society organizations. Kenya has had similar experiences, and Tanzania has learnt from both countries in its NAP development. Collaboration is a catalyst for realising business respect for human rights. 

Based on experiences from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, the session aims to highlight the collaborative approach and benefits of stakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of NAPs, the challenges, emerging lessons and best practices.  The interactive discussion will focus on: 

• Strategies for stakeholder identification and engagement 

• Benefits of multistakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of the NAP .

• Multi-stakeholder strategies, action and activities, that advance NAP especially enhancement of access to remedy 

• Emerging lessons and best practices

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Key Objectives

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• To spotlight and document the results of a collaborative approach to localising BHR.

• To highlight of role of state and non-state actors in the development and implementation of NAPs.

• To highlight lessons and best practices for multistakeholder approaches to developing and implementation of the NAP. 

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Guiding Question

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• How to identify and engage stakeholders the development and implementation of the NAP?

• What is the critical role of each category of stakeholders – government, development partners, private sector, civil society?

• What multi-stakeholder strategies, action or activities advance NAPs?

• What are you learning as best practices multistakeholder collaborative approach?

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Background to the Discussion

Uganda and Kenya are implementing their first NAPs, while Tanzania is finalising their NAP. In all these countries, the NAP development and implementation processes have resulted from efforts by both state and nonstate actors, including government ministries, national human rights institutions, development partners, the private sector and civil society organisations.

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The interactive session will focus on discussing the strategies for stakeholder identification and engagement, the benefits of multistakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of the NAP, the strategies, action and activities, that advance NAP, and the challenges to the multistakeholder collaborative approach, drawing experiences from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. 

 

Additional background documents 

 

• Bringing Principles into Practice: Promoting Responsible Business Conduct through Business and Human Rights Principles and Multistakeholder Engagement in East Africa: https://resourcerightsafrica.org/download/bringing-principles-to-practice-publication/

• Uganda adopts National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights: https://youtu.be/1kamqyq2LSA?si=xoTe_dKacosX8R7D

• The Kenya national action plan on business and human rights – a case study on process, lessons learned and ways forward: https://www.humanrights.dk/publications/kenya-national-action-plan-business-human-rights-case-study-process-lessons-learned

• The Kenya National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights - The Process and Lessons Learned: https://youtu.be/wYywCwpNr5U?si=VJAJINDo7tdFMMWB

• LHRC And CHRAGG are launching a review session to develop a National Action Plan on Human Rights in Business: https://humanrights.or.tz/en/news-events/LHRC_and_CHRAGG

• Tanzanian unions engage on the national action plan on business and human rights: https://www.industriall-union.org/tanzanian-unions-engage-on-the-national-action-plan-on-business-and-human-rights

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