Transnational Corporations and Human Rights: Overcoming Barriers to Judicial Remedy

The number of transnational corporations - including parent companies and subsidiaries - has exploded over the last forty years, which has led to a correlating rise of corporate violations of international human rights and environmental laws, either directly or in conjunction with government security forces, local police, state-run businesses, or other businesses. In this work, Gwynne Skinner details the harms of business-related human rights violations on local communities and describes the barriers, both functional and institutional, that victims face in seeking remedies. She concludes by offering solutions to these barriers, with a focus on measures designed to improve judicial remedies, which are the heart of international human rights law but often fail to deliver justice to victims. This work should be read by anyone concerned with the role of corporations in our increasingly globalized society.

• Discusses policy recommendations for legislators, advocates, and campaigners
• Examines the barriers victims face in specific, key jurisdictions while also drawing lessons from issues common to all jurisdictions
• Provides an in-depth analysis of the legal doctrines of the United States, including the Alien Tort Statute