Advancing Child Rights in the Proposed EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

Save the Children and the ICJ have prepared this joint statement on the proposed EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which has the potential to have substantial impact on the conduct of businesses incorporated in and/or with operations in the European Union and the ability of these businesses to respect, protect and promote human rights and protect the environment, particularly if it embeds a more robust human rights and rights of the child approach. It is therefore important to assess how this proposed Directive complies with the State obligation to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights and fundamental freedoms, the corporate responsibility to respect and the need for rights and obligations to be matched to appropriate remedies. Such compliance is required under international law and standards, including human rights treaties and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).