https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/un-expert-launches-guidi...
“The Guiding Principles aim to reveal the nature and scope of the multifaceted challenges resulting from the implementation of sanctions of the UN Security Council, the use of unilateral sanctions by States and regional organisations, as well as the use of various means of sanctions’ enforcement and over-compliance,” Douhan said.
The expert noted that the Guiding Principles and their Commentary explain how existing international legal standards shall be applied in the context of sanctions; remind States of their responsibility to abide by and uphold international human rights standards; and reiterate States’ responsibility to ensure through administrative and judicial measures that businesses under their jurisdiction and/or control, operating in sanctions contexts, do not violate human rights, including extraterritorially.
“The preparation of the Guiding Principles and their Commentary was a two-year process, which started in 2022, with active support and engagement from various stakeholders, including States, UN entities, civil society organisations, businesses, legal professionals, and academics,” the expert said.
The two documents were the result of numerous consultations and expert meetings which culminated with multistakeholder discussions at the International Conference on Sanctions, Business and Human rights, organised by the Special Rapporteur, with the support of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, on 21 and 22 November 2024.
“The Guiding principles do not create and do not intend to create new legal norms,” she said. “They address and elaborate on the application of existing treaty or customary legal norms by States, international organisations and other relevant actors in sanctions’ environments and contexts.”
“States, international organisations and businesses are invited to consult both the Guiding Principles and their Commentary and use them in their relevant programmes and activities, which should be always anchored in international human rights law and aim at mitigating the serious negative impact of unilateral sanctions, means of their enforcement and overcompliance on the enjoyment of human rights,” Douhan said.
Alena Douhan, Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights
Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR.
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