At the Tenth Session of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights in Geneva in December 2024, Pax Christi International was represented by Mattia Tosato, PCI International Representative at UN Geneva, and Giulia Bordin, PCI Advocacy Officer. PCI joined other civil society organisations in pressing for stronger legal mechanisms to ensure corporate responsibility.
In preparation for the session, PCI co-organised a webinar/side event with CIDSE, Trocaíre, and Caritas Internationalis. The event opened with remarks by Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, who emphasised the need for corporate accountability in the protection of human dignity. Martha Inés Romero, Pax Christi International Secretary General, then presented the right to say “No,” focusing on the critical role of communities in resisting harmful corporate practices. She highlighted Pax Christi International’s commitment to empowering communities to protect their lands and livelihoods from exploitative industries, Armin Paasch from Misereor presented CIDSE’s position paper.
The event also featured powerful testimonies from the Xinka Parliament in Guatemala and the Diocese of Marbel in the Philippines, who shared their experiences of battling the harmful impacts of mining.
Find the webinar recording here.
Moving forward, Pax Christi International is committed to advancing the ongoing treaty negotiations, working to ensure that the instrument includes enforceable measures and incorporates the voices of affected communities. Pax Christi International will continue working on securing a treaty that addresses the full range of corporate abuses, with a particular emphasis on the extractive industries. Through continued collaboration with global partners, Pax Christi International aims to create a framework that ensures corporations are held to account and that the human rights of communities are protected in law.
