Access to justice for victims of corporate-related abuses remains an illusion for victims in all too many cases and has even, in some countries, been made even more difficult as a result of recent reforms or judicial decisions. In order to seek justice for victims of human rights violations in specific case, FIDH supports its member organisations in turning to judicial and non-judicial remedy mechanisms to ensure accountability and access to justice for affected communities. FIDH seeks to provide practical tools for victims and their representatives, NGOs and other civil society groups to seek justice and obtain reparation for victims of human rights abuses involving multinational corporations.
Depending on the case, FIDH can target the responsibility of corporations as legal persons, or by looking at individual criminal responsibility of a corporation’s directors, both in countries where the harm has occurred or in home countries (i.e. where the corporation is registered).
FIDH also uses – whenever relevant and possible – other mechanisms such as mediation processes under the OECD National Contact Points (NCPs) where a company has failed to comply with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. FIDH is a member of the OECD Watch coalition and has formulated numerous recommendations to strengthen the functioning of the NCPs. At the international, regional and national levels, FIDH continues to advocate for reforms to lift obstacles victims face in accessing justice and obtaining reparation.