Foreign companies looking to establish in the Pacific region have been urged take heed of human rights risks in the communities they look to invest in.
Amy Sinclair, a regional representative for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific at the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre. Photo: RNZ Pacific
The call comes from Amy Sinclair, a regional representative for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific at the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
The Centre tracks the human rights impacts of companies around the world.
Ms Sinclair said companies seeking to invest in the Pacific needed to be aware of the human environments they were entering.
"So that they can conduct adequate human rights due diligence at the beginning of a project, and they can engage for example with the right landholders, and stave off potential disharmony and harmful outcomes later down the track."
Ms Sinclair said her organisation was seeking to empower and build capacity among local communities.
"So that they are equipped with relevant tools to engage when the mining company or the logging company comes to town, so that they can raise their concerns and have pathways to develop remedy with the companies," Ms Sinclair said.
She noted that the Pacific is a region undergoing rapid economic growth across a number of different sectors.
"In extractives, in mining, land mining and also potentially we've seen a lot of interest from (overeas) seabed mining companies looking to explore and exploit resources in the Pacific.
"But also in sectors like logging, fishing - vessels in Pacific waters from overseas - and increasingly in areas like tourism as well."