Protecting Human Rights in International Investment Relations: Finding a Balance of Interests

   The paper is devoted to the protection of human rights in international investment relations. The author notes that international investment law focuses primarily on the protection of foreign investments, while issues of respect for human rights in the broad sense often remain in the background. The author focuses on cases where foreign investors act in bad faith with respect to workers’ labor rights, violating the labor laws of host countries. Such violations lead to a conflict of interest between foreign investors seeking to maximize profits and host countries interested in economic growth and the creation of quality jobs. The author identifies ways in which states try to
maintain a balance between protecting foreign investment and respecting human rights, such as establishing exceptions to labor laws, labor vetoes, liability shields, and counterclaims. Along with this, the author focuses on the problem of the evolutive interpretation of the provisions of international investment treaties by arbitration tribunals.

   The key conclusion put forward is the need to find a balance between the protection of human rights and the interests of foreign investors, which requires dialogue, comprehensive analysis, and the development of flexible legal mechanisms to achieve a sustainable balance.

   The author also emphasizes the need for further research and the development of new legal approaches to incorporate human rights provisions into international investment agreements, which will ensure sustainable development and respect for human rights in the context of economic globalization.

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