Deep Dive

Independent, CSO-Led and Global Supply Chain-Anchored Non-State Based Grievance Mechanisms: Building synergies for advancing decent work in India and Asia

ORGANIZED BY

People's Courage International

16-Sep

09:00-09:45

Conference Room 4

There exists a vast yet dispersed landscape of experiences and lessons on non-state based grievance mechanisms for advancing decent work in India and Asia. We bring together practitioners from across sectors and contexts to reflect on the past, present and the future of NSBGMs for responsible business conduct.

Topic in Focus

What can different models of non-state-based grievance mechanisms (NSBGMs) learn from each other and how to build pathways for effective collaborations for advancing decent work in India and Asia?

Overview

The session will look into two models of NSBGMs - the independent, CSO-led and Global Supply Chain-anchored - both of which have multiple examples in India and Asia and which have attempted to advance decent work. It will deep dive into issues of scope of disputes, coverage in terms of accountability of supply chain actors, remediation processes, engagement with other NSBGMs and State-based grievance mechanisms, and problems of financing. In appraising a few case studies, it will propose strategic areas of collaboration and scaling.

Why it matters

NSBGMs represent a mechanism to operationalize Pillar III (Access to Remedy) of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In contexts where formal state judicial systems may be slow, inaccessible, or cost-prohibitive for vulnerable workers, NSBGMs provide flexible, accessible, and rights-compatible avenues for resolution. Rather than beginning anew, the need of the hour is to collect dispersed learnings and experiences and identify strategic areas of collaboration.

Who should attend?

Businesses (SMEs and Large Corporations)
Civil Society Organizations
Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives
Trade Unions and Human Rights Defenders
Workers, Communities and Rights-Holders
Government Representatives
Academia and Researchers
Consultancies and Social Impact Firms
General – Multistakeholder

What participants will gain

The participants will gain an understanding of the various models and efforts of NSBGMs in different sectors and geographies in India and Asia.
The participants will gain a practical understanding of what has worked and what hasn’t in terms of their effectiveness and the reasons thereof from representatives of and experts on NSBGMs.
Participants will gain an understanding of the trade-offs between two models of NSBGMs - the independent, CSO-led and global supply chain anchored ones - in terms of their effectiveness.
The participants will gain theoretical and practical insights into what is needed to operationalize strategic collaborations and scaling the impact of NSGBMs.

Archana Kotecha

Executive Director at ReAct Asia, Founder and CEO at The Remedy Project, Chief Impact Officer at Diginex,

Archana is a UK-qualified barrister, CEDR-accredited mediator, and leading voice in business and human rights, with over 18 years of experience advising on forced labour, human trafficking, and responsible business conduct across Asia. The rights-holder perspective is central in her legal approach, which seeks creative solutions within the context of commercial requirements and complex regulatory challenges. As Founder and CEO of The Remedy Project and ReAct Asia, and Chief Impact Officer of Diginex, Archana leads advisory engagements on human rights due diligence, grievance mechanisms, and remedy frameworks for private and public sector clients. At ReAct, she leads stakeholder engagement, tests creative frameworks for worker protection and pushes new industry benchmarks for responsible business conduct.

Rakesh Narayana

Director, Worker-Centered Business and Human Rights, Peoples Courage International

Rakesh is an experienced development sector professional with over 16 years of work experience in Worker Wellbeing, Responsible Business, Grant Making and Non Profit Project Management. Led India's two largest Independent Grievance Redressal Mechanisms (GRM) - India Labourline and Mazdoor Helpline. In the responsible business space, advised leading Multi Stakeholder Initiatives on setting up GRMs and Promotion of Decent Work.

Shelly Heald Han

Executive Vice President, Fair Labor Association

Ms. Han works at the intersection of human rights and business. At FLA she leads advocacy efforts promoting labor rights around the globe, with a focus on protections for migrant workers in apparel supply chains. Prior to joining FLA, Ms. Han spent 15 years in the U.S. Government combating corruption, protecting human rights defenders and journalists, and developing policies related to trade and national security. She also worked in the private sector, helping companies ethically do business in international markets.