Poverty, human rights and responsibilities

Firms have an important role in helping to tackle poverty, as reflected in private sector development policies. Employment not only provides resources, but the right work conditions can increase confidence, provide security and offer advancement prospects. And, used appropriately of course, the taxes generated can fund programmes (e.g. education, health) that further support poverty reduction. Nonetheless, some firms have been known to suppress efforts to escape poverty through complicity in human rights violations (Clapham and Jerbi 2000; Gatto 2011; Muchlinski 2001). Firms, for example, can use forced labour, restrict freedom of association and collective bargaining, or force workers-or generate the structural pressures where supply-chain workers are forced-to work long and poorly paid hours. People may be kept in a situation of poverty by the decisions of those seeking profits. © 2014 Taylor and Francis. All rights reserved.