The Facility for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform (FOSTER) engaged New Nigeria Foundation (NNF) to undertake a review of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights in Nigeria. The study was conducted between May and June2015 and the report was submitted in July 2015.The Voluntary Principles (VPs) is a multistakeholder initiative that stands on three “pillars” – governments, corporations, and NGOs. They are a set of principles designed to guide companies inmaintaining the safety and security of their operations within an operating framework that encourages respect for human rights.
The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) are international standardsthat prevent and address the risk of adverse impacts of business on human rights. The three pillars of the UNGPs outline states’ duty to protect human rights, corporate responsibility to respect human rights, and access to remedy for victims of business-related abuses.
The UNGPs complement the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs). The main thrust of the study conducted by NNF was to analyse existing data on the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs) and Voluntary Principles vis-à-vis the political environment in order to identify opportunities and possible ways of integrating the VPs into the regulatory framework.
Another key objective of the study was to undertake a survey of relevant stakeholders’ perspectives on the VPs, and identify ways of engaging with government, sector players, civil society and local communities.
NNF also had to deliver a validation exercise through a presentation and critique of the findings. NNF adopted a participatory multi-stakeholder engagement approach to extract relevant information from stakeholders. The methodology adopted involved the review of relevant secondary data and studies, and conducting of key informant interviews (KIIs). Relevant stakeholder groups (government, oil companies, communities and CSOs) in three (3) states of the Niger Delta (Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers) and Lagos were engaged for the review.The study was successfully conducted and NNF is set to make a PowerPoint presentation to FOSTER and other stakeholders on findings from the study. New Nigeria Foundation (NNF) is a member of the NGO pillar of Voluntary Principles (VPs).
