About BHR
Business and Human Rights
Reports indicate that Africa has the world’s highest rates of entrepreneurship with 22% of Africa’s working age-population running businesses. 1 in 5 Africans are starting a new business and more than three quarters of the youth seek to start one within 5 years. We believe that business activities can drive sustainable development in Africa and recognize that the actions of business enterprises have a direct and often adverse effect on the environment and human rights of the vulnerable.
As such, our BHR program seeks to build awareness on human rights principles in the context of business activities and advance regulatory BHR developments at a national, regional and continental level. We support capacity building on business and human rights and advocate for enhanced corporate accountability and implementation of BHR standards in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Our activities include, but are not limited to:
1.Capacity building with businesses, regulatory institutions, governments,
academia, human rights defenders and community leaders;
2.Conducting assessments on the impact of businesses in the communities in which they operate and making human rights focused recommendations;
and
3.Strengthening the social and economic interdependence by supporting
partnerships and collaboration between stakeholders.
Bring them together and overcome the ordinary.
Our Programatic Areas
MESDA embodies its commitment to economic and social development in Africa through operation of the following programs.