November 4, 2010: Panel Discussion - Corporate Accountability in the Obama Era

Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), EarthRights International, the Western Shoshone Defense Project, the International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the International Commission of Jurists present:  

Corporate Accountability in the Obama Era

The U.S. Record Respecting, Protecting and Remedying Human Rights Against Business-Related Abuses

This public event aimed to raise awareness amongst government delegations and civil society about the U.S. piecemeal corporate accountability record in advance of its first-ever Universal Periodic Review. Those directly affected by business human rights abuses and NGO representatives discussed their concrete successes and substantial challenges struggling at great odds to influence U.S. legislative, regulatory, administrative and policy bodies to uphold the U.S. government's duties to respect, protect and remedy human rights against business-related abuses.

Moderator:     Carlos Lopez, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Introduction and framing the Issues

Panelists:        Sangina Patnaik, Corrie family, Corrie v. Caterpillar

Katherine Gallagher, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR),Corrie v. Caterpillar

Larson Bill, Western Shoshone Defense Project (WSDP), Discussing the situation and lived experience in Shoshone land                    

Seánna Howard, Staff Attorney at the University of Arizona Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program, Legal issues arising around the Western Shoshone case

Moderator:     Open Discussion (30 min.)