The international human rights law responsibilities of NGOs

The international human rights law (IHRL) system is predicated on the principle of state responsibility to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights. However, the desire to extend the applicability of IHRL beyond the state is beginning to gain nascent traction, as demonstrated by the UN’s efforts to create legally binding IHRL on corporations. Nonetheless, such endeavours continue to face an uphill battle of Sisyphean proportions because of the immense power and interests of corporate and state actors.