Committee for Justice (CFJ) took part in the 14th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, held at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 24 to 26 November 2025 under the theme: “Accelerating action on business and human rights in times of crises and transitions.” The Forum brought together representatives of governments, international organizations, companies, trade unions, civil society, and academia from across the globe.
CFJ was represented at the Forum by its Executive Director, Ahmed Mefreh, who participated in several plenary and thematic sessions, as well as bilateral meetings with UN and international partners. These discussions focused on the situation in the Arab region, North Africa, and the Sahel, and on the responsibilities of economic actors in contexts of conflict and political transition.
CFJ’s participation formed part of its broader efforts to bring the concerns of the region – in particular the situation of refugees and migrants, workers, and local communities affected by economic and security projects – into the global discussion on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Forum serves as a key platform to assess progress in applying the Guiding Principles and to review the gaps and challenges that continue to impede their effective implementation.
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Highlighting the risks created by the intersection of multiple crises – armed conflicts, economic crises, political transitions, environmental degradation, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence – for the ability of states and companies to meet their obligations to respect human rights and avoid causing or contributing to abuses through their activities and value chains.
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Stressing that corporate responsibility to respect human rights, as set out in the UN Guiding Principles, requires a “smart mix” of voluntary measures and legally binding rules at the national and international levels, including human-rights due diligence legislation and effective mechanisms for remedy and reparation for victims.
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Contributing to discussions on due diligence in crisis and conflict settings, on migration and cross-border labour, and on the human rights impact of security and military policies and related commercial deals on the economic, social, civil and political rights of individuals and communities.
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Emphasizing the need for specific protection for human rights defenders, journalists and other actors working to expose business-related human rights abuses, in the face of increasing patterns of legal harassment, security intimidation and smear campaigns targeting those who speak out.
CFJ also drew on its experience documenting violations in Egypt, North Africa and the Sahel, as well as its work with UN and regional mechanisms, to enrich the Forum’s discussions on access to justice in complex environments and on the respective roles of states, companies, international organizations and civil society in making respect for human rights an integral and non-negotiable part of any economic or investment activity.
CFJ reiterates that the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights remains a vital space to ensure that corporate commitments on human rights do not remain confined to voluntary rhetoric or “CSR” branding, but are translated into concrete policies, legal frameworks and operational practices that have a tangible impact on the protection of the rights of individuals and communities, especially those in the most vulnerable situations.
CFJ will continue to build on the partnerships and networks strengthened during its participation in the 14th edition of the Forum, in order to advance a more holistic approach that links field-based documentation of violations to the development of legal and policy frameworks on business and human rights and to the strengthening of accountability for all economic actors who cause or contribute to human rights abuses.
