Rights Groups Urge UK to Include Human Rights Protections in GCC Trade Deal

Rights Groups Urge UK to Include Human Rights Protections in GCC Trade Deal
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A coalition of rights groups has urged the UK government to incorporate human rights protections into a new trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to a report from JURIST News. The groups are concerned that without these safeguards, the UK could be implicitly complicit in the documented abuse of migrant workers in GCC countries.

The joint statement from the organizations criticizes both the GCC countries and the UK for what they describe as inadequate human rights frameworks. They specifically point to the UK’s failure to enact legislation that would hold companies accountable for human rights abuses within their global operations and supply chains.

The UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement, which is a key part of the UK’s post-Brexit economic strategy, could potentially entangle British businesses in issues of labor exploitation and forced labor. Human Rights Watch, a signatory to the statement, warns that without proactive measures, the agreement could lead to UK companies becoming enmeshed in these abuses.