Abstract:
The activities of multinational businesses that conduct business in both developing and
developed countries significantly affect the civil liberties and rights of those countries'
populations. This study explores the legislative framework, operational compliance with human
rights obligations, and enforcement difficulties relating to multinational firms' activity in Dukem,
Ethiopia. It was evaluated using a doctrinal and qualitative methodology. Using the existing
legislation and the data collected in Dukem, where a lot of multinational companies are
operating, I found that there do not appear to be any effective organizations or regulations that
specifically defend the responsibility of multinational corporations to respect and not violate
human rights and that can limit or enforce multinational corporations' adherence to their human
rights duties. The results demonstrated to us that international corporations doing business in
Dukem, Ethiopia, are violating the right to a clean and healthy environment and the right to life.
Additionally, neither legal nor extralegal actions were taken by the Ethiopian government to
uphold its human rights duties. As a result, international corporations operating in Dukem,
Ethiopia, lack any responsibility, and it remains a challenge to hold them accountable for
violating their human rights duties. The study recommends that the government should enact
specific laws and establish institutions that regulate multinational companies and the Ethiopian
government, especially The environmental protection authorities should effectively enforce the
rules under environmental laws. To prevent multinational corporations from operating in
Dukem, Ethiopia, from violating human rights obligations, it is important to ensure that
multinational corporations are held accountable and victims have access to justice. Investment
treaties must also include provisions requiring compliance with human rights obligations.
Environmental protection authorities should effectively enforce environmental laws. Ethiopia
should enact specific laws that regulate multinational companies' human rights obligations as a
possible solution to the problem in Dukem.
