Due Diligence in Human Rights Matters: A Critical Perspective on History and Effectiveness in the Face of the Global Architecture of Impunity and the legislative vanguard within the scope of the European Union

Abstract

This article addresses essential aspects with regard to Due Diligence in terms of human rights, discussing its concept, antecedents and historical developments, as well as the effectiveness of existing normative instruments. This work, through a bibliographic review, will use the Laws, in particular the European Directive, as a basis in order to show that Due Diligence, although it is a necessary preventive mechanism, is still unsatisfactory to reach the levels of protection of indispensable human rights in face of the globalized reality. From the present analysis, the so-called global architecture of impunity becomes clear, since the very structure of transnational companies, a structure that goes beyond the limits of States' jurisdiction, hinders the process of accountability for reparation of those affected. In this perspective, then, the demand for a binding international legal instrument becomes increasingly paramount, being fundamental articulation between the most diverse actors, among them academia and civil society.