Religious NGOs and the quest for a binding treaty on business and human rights

This chapter analyses the role of religious non-governmental organizations (RNGOs) in the debate on business and human rights. It also analyses the positions and strategies of different RNGOs in these two international processes. The chapter focuses on two recent ones: the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the negotiations on a binding treaty that are taking place in an Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group of the Human Rights Council. The RNGO cases analyzed include the Interfaith Centre on Corporate Responsibility, Cooperation International pour le Developpement et la Solidarite, and Franciscans International. The chapter shows that RNGOs are often engaged in civil society networks, such as the Treaty Alliance, a global campaign that advocates a binding treaty on business and human rights. Analysis of the debate on business and human rights shows that the positions of RNGOs and their strategies are hard to distinguish from those of secular organizations.