Burkhard Gnärig

Los políticos y las OSC tradicionales son parte de un viejo mundo que está siendo reemplazado por formas muy distintas de participación cívica. Hace más de 20 años, tuve una discusión animada con un destacado político alemán que se quejaba de que Terre Des Hommes, la organización a favor de los derechos infantiles que dirigía en ese entonces, interfería con la política nacional. Aborrecía nuestras actividades de promoción y campañas y exigía que “dejáramos la política para los políticos”.

To make headway on human rights in China, advocates need to get creative by partnering with state-owned enterprises. According to a 2007 survey by John Ruggie on Chinese companies’ human rights policies, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) “recognize human rights at a higher rate than non-SOEs.” SOEs also control a significant portion of China’s economy and could, therefore, play a crucial role in advancing the agenda of business and human rights in the country.

Traditional politicians and traditional CSOs are part of an old world that is being replaced by very different forms of civic participation. More than 20 years ago I had a lively discussion with a leading German politician who complained that Terre Des Hommes, the child rights organisation I was leading at the time, interfered with national politics. He abhorred our advocacy and campaigns and demanded that we “leave politics to the politicians”.