Human rights and environmental, social and health impact assessments

This guide was developed in collaboration with the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues (IPIECA).

The guide is designed for industry practitioners and consulting firms working with environmental, social and health impact assessments (ESHIAs).

It is the outcome of a two year collaborative effort by impact assessment practitioners from global oil and gas companies and human rights practitioners from the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

The guide has three parts:

1. Human rights issues and impacts in the oil and gas industry. This section defines human rights impacts and their scope, and outlines the parallels between ESHIAs and the assessment of human rights impacts.
2. Human rights considerations in the ESHIA process steps. This section provides practical guidance on applying a human rights lens to the activities and content of each step of the ESHIA process.
3. Strategic themes and processes. This section looks at human rights issues that are applicable across the ESHIA process: Integrated impact assessment or dedicated human rights impact assessment; Strength testing of the assessment of human rights impacts; Stakeholder engagement and participation; Considerations and options when communicating about human rights impacts; Focus on vulnerable individuals and groups, gender and Indigenous Peoples; and Organisational skills and resources for the assessment and management of human rights impacts.