Conflict Zones
Advancing responsible business during conflict
Many companies operate in conflict-affected and high risk areas (CAHRAs). International humanitarian law offers companies protection, as civilian entities, but it also means companies must abide by laws and avoid actions or inactions that cause, contribute, or are linked with conflict and which may raise the risk of complicity. Building on the Red Flags Initiative, IHRB published From Red to Green Flags, which provided guidance to companies that are in a conflict-prone or conflict-affected areas.
IHRB was an early actor in warning telecom companies of the risks of complying with sweeping demands from governments to shut down the Internet during times of unrest, during the Egyptian revolution. Mindful of the risks posed by mass surveillance and the sale of dual use technology, as well as the spread of hate speech, IHRB produced three reports in a series called Digital Dangers, dealing with hate speech dissemination during Kenyan elections, impacts of network shutdowns in Pakistan, and the risk of selling dual use technologies to governments with a poor human rights record.
IHRB has also written timely commentaries and published podcasts with experts on more recent conflicts, including how businesses should deal with different views and perspectives during particularly divisive conflicts.
