Handbook on Human Rights Impact Assessments

Human rights impact assessment (HRIA) has increasingly gained traction among state, business and civil society actors since the endorsement of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by the Human Rights Council in 2011. This timely and insightful Handbook addresses HRIA in the context of business and human rights.

Employing state-of-the-art analysis of current practice, the contributors offer a dynamic overview of contemporary approaches to HRIA, looking ahead to its future trajectories. Chapters present key methodological concepts and new theoretical developments, comparing different approaches from project to sector and governance level. Collectively, these critical appraisals shed light on the role that HRIA can play in addressing the adverse human rights impacts of business activities and fostering sustainable development.

Featuring extensive analysis of HRIA practice in a range of industrial contexts and global regions, this Handbook provides crucial insight for practitioners working with impact assessment, human rights, and sustainable development, as well as businesses, investors, government actors and multilateral institutions promoting responsible business conduct. Academics and others investigating human rights and impact assessments in business contexts will also benefit from this book’s comprehensive analysis of theoretical developments in HRIA research.