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Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)Reema Issa Al KyedThis thesis examines the compliance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), focusing on its commitment to respecting human rights, exercising due diligence, and enabling remediation for adverse impacts. The study has four key objectives: evaluating the relevance of sociological and human rights theories for implementing the UNGPs, assessing UNHCR’s compliance with the UNGPs, identifying areas for improvement, and providing a practical methodology for conducting human rights assessments for UN and international organizations. The findings offer insights into enhancing UNHCR’s human rights practices and compliance with the UNGPs.The research is based on an interpretivist paradigm and follows a qualitative case study design, using a multi-method approach that includes interviews with key personnel within UNHCR and comprehensive documentary analysis. Thematic data analysis is employed to identify patterns, meanings, and insights, and the findings are structured around the UNGPs Reporting Framework to assess governance, policies, and human rights due diligence processes. This structure provides a clear and systematic approach to evaluating UNHCR’s compliance with the UNGPs, focusing on the identified thematic areas.Key conclusions drawn from this research suggest that UNHCR effectively embeds human rights considerations into its operations. However, the study highlights the need for UNHCR to review the relevance of the UNGPs in the context of the UN business model and operations, and to select an appropriate reporting framework for monitoring and assessing compliance. The research also recommends that UNHCR establish clear criteria for identifying salient human rights issues, and disseminating them separately or as part of a broader public commitment statement, while ensuring all relevant stakeholders, including staff and refugees, are involved in the process. The thesis suggests that human rights risks should be more effectively integrated into UNHCR’s risk management processes and that a more robust performance appraisal mechanism should be considered, particularly for managers whose decisions may affect human rights outcomes. Finally, the research advocates for the development of criteria to assess the environmental impacts of UNHCR’s activities, ensuring that human rights considerations are fully embedded in the organization’s operations.This study provides a valuable reference for researchers and human rights professionals, offering a practical methodology for assessing compliance with the UNGPs. The findings and recommendations presented here contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve accountability, transparency, and human rights practices within UN and international organizations, providing insights for future research and policy development aimed at promoting respect for human rights across global operations.

Awarding Institution(s)

University of Plymouth

Supervisor

David Owen, Tasawar Nawaz

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2025

Embargo Period

2025-07-29

Deposit Date

July 2025

Comments

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Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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