Introduction: Business and Human Rights Asia—Examining the Duty of the State to Protect

This chapter introduces the state’s duty to protect human rights and to compel business organisations to respect fundamental rights and freedoms. It outlines the emergence of the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights, the emergence of which has taken place in a very complex international system today. Business organisations exert tremendous influence over countries and societies across the world, alongside states. There has been increasing interest in the UNGPs in Asia as governments explore the development of national action plans to give effect to their duty to protect. The chapter surveys the rich multi-disciplinary literature on BHR and fills a gap in scholarship on Asia. The BHR agenda post-COVID-19 crisis needs to be examined as part of this scholarship.