INVITATION – SPECIAL EVENT
Jody Kollapen, Chair, South African Human Rights Commission
speaking on: “Human rights and business: South Africa and beyond”
and updates from our regional researchers about developments in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe & Latin America
Tuesday 2 December – doors open 6:30pm, event starts 6:45pm – free of charge
Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road (opposite Euston Station), London (map below)
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is pleased to invite you to the second annual event in our Sir Geoffrey Chandler Speaker Series, featuring Jody Kollapen, Chair of South Africa’s national human rights commission.
Jody was a leading South African human rights lawyer during apartheid – he worked on well-known cases such as the Sharpeville Six, the Delmas Treason Trial, and the failure of the Medical and Dental Council to enquire into the behaviour of the doctors who treated Steve Biko. At Lawyers for Human Rights, a South African NGO, he co-ordinated the Political Prisoners’ Release Programme and served as National Director. After the end of apartheid, he was a member of the panel that chose the commissioners for South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Jody will speak about the subjects below, followed by questions from the audience:
1.human rights & business during apartheid, and in the new South Africa – progress made and challenges that remain
2.interesting private sector cases the Commission has addressed
3.business & human rights in Zimbabwe
4.UK companies operating in Africa
5.Chinese companies operating in Africa
6.why South Africa’s Commission is one of the first to give high priority to private sector issues
7.his message to other national human rights commissions considering giving more attention to the private sector
8.his personal reflections on South Africa
Before Jody’s speech, our regional researchers will talk for a few minutes about key business & human rights developments they are seeing in their regions:
Surabhi Chopra (based in India)
Mauricio Lazala (covering Latin America)
Abiola Okpechi (based in South Africa)
Roddy Shaw Kwok-wah (based in Hong Kong)
Ella Skybenko (based in Ukraine)
Resource Centre staff and trustees would be pleased to see you at this event.
Please RSVP to Joe Westby: westby@business-humanrights.org; phone +44 20 7636-7774. Please forward this invitation to others who may wish to attend – they should contact Joe Westby to reserve a space.
The Resource Centre is an independent registered charity in England & Wales, and a tax-exempt non-profit organization in USA. Any support you can provide would be greatly appreciated, helping us to cover the cost of this event and to continue our work providing balanced, up-to-date information on companies’ human rights impacts worldwide. Please consider an online donation, or sending a cheque to our London or New York office payable to “Business & Human Rights Resource Centre”.
Event details:
Time: Tuesday 2 December 2008
6:30pm Arrival
6:45-8:15pm Presentations – Questions & answers
Followed by refreshments/reception (Friends House does not allow alcohol on the premises; coffee and other non-alcoholic drinks will be served)
Place: Friends House (Large Hall), 173-177 Euston Road (opposite Euston Station), London NW1 2BJ
Nearest underground stations are Euston and Euston Square. King’s Cross underground and St Pancras International Terminus are a 10-minute walk.
