In this week’s post, Ezile Madlala reports on the 7th Annual Regional Binding Treaty Indaba held in Johannesburg last month. During the event, mining-affected communities, civil society and African state representatives pushed for a binding international treaty on business and human rights, highlighted barriers to participation in treaty negotiations, and stressed the need for African-led solutions.

Ahead of the 10th session of negotiations of the Intergovernmental Working Group on a legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises, David Bilchitz argues that a scope clause is unnecessary and likely to exacerbate divisions.