The Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) welcomes the Outcome Document of the Vienna + 20 human rights conference, and in particular the recognition of the human rights obligations of inter-governmental organizations, which includes international financial institutions such as the World Bank and regional development banks, as well as the recognition of extra-territorial human rights obligations. The Vienna + 20 Outcome Document reflects the input of the Vienna + 20 Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Declaration, calling on governments to:

Ensure the accountability of those whose responsibility is engaged in connection with violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, in particular:

• international governmental organisations (IGOs);

• non-state actors, including transnational corporations (TNCs), private military and security companies and rebel groups;

• intelligence agencies in relation to their worldwide surveillance practices,

• also taking into consideration the extra-territorial obligations of States as reflected in the “Maastricht Principles”.

According to Bret Thiele, Co-Executive Director of the GI-ESCR, "This clear statement not only further reaffirms the human rights obligations of international financial institutions (IFIs), including the extra-territorial obligations of Member States of IFIs to respect, protect and fulfill human rights abroad, but also makes clear that such human rights norms, and indeed the entire body of human rights, must be at the core of the post-2015 development framework."

The full Vienna + 20 Outcome Document can be found HERE.

The Vienna + 20 CSO Declaration can be found HERE.