Fighting Corporate Impunity at
the UN Business and Human Rights Forum 2024
The world is waking up to the brutal truth: corporations, left unchecked, can and do violate human rights on a massive scale. From exploitative labor in plantations to environmental destruction in indigenous lands, the corporate machinery often steamrolls over people and communities, especially in countries like Indonesia. In Indonesia, for the last 3 years only there are thousands corporate human rights violations reported, Corporations are the second most complained-about party to Komnas HAM (National Commission on Human Rights).
Between 2019 and September 2021, Komnas HAM received a staggering 1,366 complaints of alleged human rights violations by corporations—a glaring indictment of unchecked corporate power in Indonesia. These violations aren’t isolated incidents; they are systemic. In 2019, 435 cases were reported, rising to 455 in 2020 and slightly decreasing to 428 in 2021.The issues are rooted in the exploitative nature of business operations, particularly in agrarian conflicts, labor abuses, and environmental destruction. These cases reveal blatant violations of fundamental rights: land ownership trampled for corporate profit, workers denied welfare and dignity, and communities stripped of their right to a safe and healthy environment—threatening their very survival. (Friedrich Naumann Foundation,2024)
This isn’t just a “problem to be resolved”; it’s a structural crisis driven by profit-over-people logic. The data lays bare the urgent need to confront corporate impunity head-on, dismantle exploitative systems, and demand accountability to protect the rights and livelihoods of Indonesia’s people and environment. The call for justice can no longer wait.That’s why attending the United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum 2024 in Bangkok wasn’t just an opportunity for me as an Oxfam Youth Leaders Fellow—it was an act of resistance.
This year’s theme, Right to Remedy, hit right at the core of the global fight for justice. Remedy is not charity, nor is it a favor; it’s a fundamental right for those who have suffered because of there are no political will and awareness about Human Rights should not be sidelined for the sake of profit and development. Yet, in Indonesia and across the Asia-Pacific, access to justice is often out of reach. As youths, there are something we need to change.
Beyond the Buzzwords, Shifting Into Real Corporate Accountability
Let’s face it—“corporate responsibility” often feels like a marketing gimmick. Buzzwords like ethics and sustainability are plastered across websites and press releases, but behind the scenes, workers endure harsh conditions, communities face displacement, and ecosystems are destroyed for profit. So, where is this responsibility when it matters? Nowhere.
The truth is simple: without strong, enforceable mechanisms, human rights will always take a backseat to corporate greed. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) offer a framework—“Protect, Respect, Remedy”—but lack the legal muscle to make real change. Principles alone won’t hold corporations accountable.
This is where meaningful engagement comes into play. Companies must move beyond buzzwords and create accessible remedies for those harmed by their actions. Strong accountability systems are needed to ensure communities can seek justice, not face legal battles or repression. It’s time to shift from vague commitments to enforceable standards, with governments and businesses held to account.
But let’s be real: change won’t come from the top. Grassroots activism and youth-led movements are the real drivers of progress. Their pressure forces corporations and governments to confront uncomfortable truths. Activists must keep pushing for stronger laws, better grievance mechanisms, and a global shift in how we view corporate ethics.
The solution is clear: a world where corporate responsibility is more than just a slogan. It’s time for businesses to pay more than lip service—because real justice starts with action, not advertising.
Remedy Isn’t a Buzzword—It’s a Fight
Hearing stories of struggle from across Asia-Pacific highlighted the brutal reality: victims often have to jump through hoops, face threats, and endure endless delays to seek justice. The forum showcased examples of grassroots resistance that forced governments and corporations to listen, proving that collective power can win.
One of the Indigenous Communities are still fighting their rights over corporate profit is coming from my own country, the Batak Toba Indigenous Communities versus Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Batak Toba is an Indigenous community’s battle against a pulp and paper giant that has destroyed forests, stolen ancestral lands, and shattered livelihoods. It’s a reminder that for many Indigenous Peoples, corporate profit is built on their suffering and displacement. This isn’t just a local issue—it’s a global pattern of systemic violence against the marginalized, all in the name of development.
Since the 1980s, Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) has significantly impacted North Sumatra, displacing over 13,000 Indigenous Peoples and contributing to the loss of 17,000 hectares of forest. Backed by the Royal Golden Eagle group and linked to global brands like Procter & Gamble, TPL’s eucalyptus plantations have raised concerns about environmental degradation and land rights violations. While Indonesian laws protect customary lands, concessions are often granted without Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), leaving Indigenous communities vulnerable and underrepresented in decision-making processes.
At the UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum 2024 in Bangkok, Indigenous Community leader Delima Silalahi from Batak Toba, North Sumatera, Indonesia joined a critical session titled “Remedying the Harm: Indigenous Peoples’ Perspectives on Access to Remedies and Justice.” Alongside defenders from Asia, she highlighted the urgent need for justice: recognition of Indigenous identity, territory, and self-determination, along with robust remedies for corporate abuses. Delima’s fight for land reclamation has seen victories, such as securing over 7,000 hectares of customary forest, but her activism comes at a high cost, facing harassment, stigmatization, and criminalization.
The forum also shed light on the limitations of existing remedy mechanisms. Legal processes are slow and inaccessible, leaving many communities without justice. Delima emphasized that Indigenous-led solutions, including community-led reforestation and climate initiatives, must be prioritized. Activists called for binding human rights frameworks, suspension of harmful investments, and guarantees of non-repetition to protect Indigenous communities from further harm.
As land grabs, environmental destruction, and climate change escalate, Indigenous resistance is a blueprint for justice and sustainability. The world must listen to their wisdom, amplify their voices, and support their fight for sovereignty, equity, and a livable future. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) sound good on paper “Protect, Respect, Remedy” but in practice, they’re often toothless without grassroots action and pressure from social movements. This is where the role of young people, activists, and civil society becomes critical.
our lands we have been living in hell,”
Youth as the Game-Changers
The voice of youth is often dismissed as naïve or inexperienced, yet it carries the urgency of those who will inherit the consequences of today’s failures. At the forum, young leaders refused to sit quietly on the sidelines. We challenged the narratives spun by corporate elites and questioned the hollow commitments to human rights made by institutions that profit from injustice. In Indonesia, for instance, weak laws and even weaker enforcement have created an environment where victims of corporate abuse are left with little to no avenues for justice. Instead of offering accountability, the system protects the powerful and abandons the vulnerable.
Speaking at the forum, I highlighted how these systemic weaknesses perpetuate cycles of exploitation. Corporations exploit legal loopholes to grab land, destroy ecosystems, and trample over Indigenous and workers’ rights. Meanwhile, state mechanisms, often entangled with corporate interests, turn a blind eye or even aid in these violations. Victims—whether they are displaced communities or exploited workers—are forced to navigate an inaccessible legal system designed to favor the oppressors. It is a stark reminder that the structures we’re told are meant to deliver justice have long been co-opted to serve profits over people.
This reality isn’t just a problem for today—it is a burden passed down to the youth of tomorrow. We will be the ones living with the environmental devastation, the widening inequality, and the fraying social fabric left in the wake of unchecked corporate greed. But this isn’t just about survival. It’s about resistance and transformation. Youth aren’t simply inheriting a broken system; we’re dismantling it. From organizing grassroots movements to amplifying marginalized voices through social media campaigns, we’re building alternatives that prioritize humanity and the planet over endless accumulation of wealth.
The fight for justice will not be won through complacency or trust in corporate self-regulation. It will be won through relentless activism, bold ideas, and collective action. As youth, we are not waiting for permission to act. We are reclaiming spaces, demanding accountability, and imagining a world that rejects the exploitation entrenched in today’s systems. The message is clear: we refuse to inherit this broken world without a fight, and we will not rest until it is rebuilt on the foundations of equity and justice.
Indonesia: A Case Study in Systemic Failure
ndonesia’s business landscape is rife with corporate impunity, where weak legal frameworks and lax enforcement create a perfect storm for exploitation. Corruption fuels this system, ensuring that corporations operate unchecked while communities bear the brunt of their destructive practices. From the forced displacement of Indigenous Peoples to exploitative labor practices in palm oil plantations and mining sites, human rights violations are routinely dismissed as the cost of economic growth. This normalization of harm underscores the systemic failures of the state to protect its people and prioritize human dignity over profits.
At the forum, it became evident that this isn’t just an Indonesian problem—it’s a regional crisis. However, examples from neighboring countries highlighted what is possible with the right political will. In the Philippines, grassroots advocacy led to the implementation of legal reforms to better protect workers, offering a glimmer of hope for vulnerable communities. Meanwhile, India’s development of grievance mechanisms to address corporate abuses demonstrated the importance of building systems that amplify marginalized voices and provide avenues for redress.
These examples make Indonesia’s inaction all the more glaring. While other nations are taking steps toward accountability, Indonesia remains a playground for corporations that exploit legal loopholes and the lack of state oversight. The absence of grievance mechanisms and enforcement not only perpetuates the cycle of harm but also sends a clear message: justice is a privilege, not a right. This reality leaves affected communities to fend for themselves, often at the mercy of powerful corporations and complicit state actors.
Indonesia must take decisive steps to break this cycle of impunity. Learning from the Philippines and India, the country needs robust legal reforms, enforceable grievance mechanisms, and an end to the corrupt practices that enable human rights abuses. But more than anything, it requires a shift in priorities—from serving the interests of corporations to safeguarding the rights and well-being of its people. This transformation won’t happen overnight, but it’s a fight worth taking on—for the communities who continue to resist, and for the generations to come.
A Luta Continua
Attending the forum wasn’t the end—it was just the beginning. Here’s how I plan to bring this fight home:
- Educate and Empower Youth
Launch campaigns and workshops to inform young people about corporate accountability, human rights, and environmental justice. Use social media and creative storytelling to simplify complex issues and make them accessible to Indonesia’s youth.
- Support Grassroots Movements
Collaborate with communities impacted by corporate abuses, providing legal resources and amplifying their voices through youth-led advocacy. Mobilize young people to join protests, campaigns, and initiatives that challenge exploitation and environmental degradation.
- Advocate for Systemic Change
Work with youth networks to push for stronger regulations and grievance mechanisms. Engage with policymakers, student organizations, and civil society to ensure corporate accountability becomes a legal and cultural norm in Indonesia.
A Call to Action
To the youth reading this: the system wants you to feel powerless, but you are not. Our voices, our demands, and our collective energy are tools for change. The fight for justice in business and human rights is not just about laws or boardrooms—it’s about survival, dignity, and a future we refuse to surrender to greed and complacency.
We’ve seen the harm caused by unchecked corporate behavior: exploitation, displacement, and environmental devastation. But we’ve also seen potential for change when governments, corporations, and communities come together with purpose. Justice demands political will, legal reforms, and, critically, a shift in mindset—one that sees corporations as partners in building a fairer world, not obstacles to it.
This is a call to action for all stakeholders—youth, governments, and corporations alike. Governments must prioritize binding laws that enforce human rights protections and create mechanisms for accountability. Corporations must step up, not with empty promises, but with meaningful actions: fair labor practices, accessible grievance systems, and investments in sustainable and equitable futures.
Youth networks and civil society are the catalysts for this change. We must organize, advocate, and push for transparency, accountability, and collaboration. But we must also build bridges—fostering partnerships with businesses willing to align profit with purpose and governments that recognize justice as a collective responsibility. Together, we can create platforms for dialogue, innovation, and co-creation of solutions.
This is not just a fight—it’s a movement. One that demands justice not only through resistance but also through collaboration. A future shaped by fairness and sustainability is possible, but only if we unite across sectors to demand and deliver it. The time to act is now, and together, we can ensure a better future for all.
