The Human Rights and Business Unit was launched in April 2018 as a stand-alone unit within the Syrian Legal Development Programme to address business or finance related human rights concerns that arise in Syria. The Unit also aims to ensure that human rights remains at the forefront of reconstruction in Syria.
Business and financial activity in Syria, as the conflict continues, create ample opportunities for human rights violations. Many states are scrambling to ensure their businesses can have a role in reconstruction in Syria. However, businesses operating in conflict-affected areas face particularly complex challenges in maintaining human rights in their business activities.
Moreover, reconstruction in Syria allows war criminals and perpetrators of human rights violations who are still in power to profiteer from reconstruction efforts.
The Human Rights and Business Unit works with a variety of stakeholders to ensure all business and financial actors are conscious of their role in protecting the human rights of Syrians and that they have the tools necessary to do so.