About CAHRA project

Project Overview

The Corporate Respect for Human Rights in Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (CAHRA) project addresses one of the most pressing global challenges: ensuring that businesses respect human rights when operating in complex and fragile environments.

Funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme, CAHRA brings together leading universities, civil society organizations, and business actors from Europe, Ukraine, and Colombia. The project responds directly to the evolving European regulatory landscape, including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and aims to strengthen the implementation of Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) in practice.

Why This Project Matters

Companies increasingly operate in regions affected by conflict, weak governance, and systemic human rights risks. In such contexts, traditional compliance approaches are no longer sufficient. Businesses need practical tools, legal guidance, and trained professionals capable of identifying, preventing, and mitigating adverse human rights impacts.

At the same time, higher education institutions play a critical role in shaping future professionals and generating knowledge that informs both policy and practice. However, capacity gaps remain ? particularly in regions such as Ukraine and Colombia, where conflict-related challenges are especially acute.

CAHRA addresses these gaps by strengthening institutional capacity and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, civil society, and policymakers.

Objectives

The project pursues five core objectives:

  • Capacity Building: Train university professors and academic staff as certified HRDD trainers
  • Education: Develop and integrate innovative HRDD teaching modules
  • Business Engagement: Support companies, especially SMEs, in applying HRDD
  • Policy Impact: Provide evidence-based recommendations for policymakers
  • Dissemination: Ensure broad and open access to project results and tools

Key Outputs

CAHRA delivers practical and research-based outputs tailored to multiple stakeholders:

  • Training Modules for universities and professionals
  • Business Toolkits for HRDD implementation
  • Interactive Tools, including self-assessment and risk-mapping instruments
  • Policy Briefs for EU and national decision-makers
  • Open-Access Online Platform serving as a central resource hub

All materials are designed for long-term use and will be made openly accessible.

Approach

CAHRA adopts a transnational and interdisciplinary approach, combining legal expertise, business knowledge, and regional experience. Key activities include:

  • Train-the-trainer programmes
  • Curriculum development
  • Regional workshops and stakeholder engagement
  • Applied research and policy dialogue
  • Digital dissemination through an online platform
A key innovation is the creation of regional hubs in Ukraine and Colombia, which will serve as long-term centers for training, research, and advisory services.

Advisory Board

The CAHRA Advisory Board brings together experienced experts who provide strategic guidance, independent expertise, and external perspective to the project. The Board supports the quality, relevance, and impact of CAHRA outputs, particularly in the field of business and human rights in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

Jonathan Kolieb

Associate Professor in Law and Co-Director of the Business and Human Rights Centre, RMIT School of Law, RMIT University (Australia)

Jonathan Kolieb is an expert in international law and global governance, with a particular focus on business and human rights in conflict-affected contexts. His research explores corporate sustainability reporting, conflict sensitivity, and the application of international humanitarian law to business actors. He has collaborated with organizations such as the Australian Red Cross to develop practical guidance and training tools for companies operating in high-risk environments. Within CAHRA, he provides strategic advice on aligning project outputs with global standards and ensuring their relevance for both policy and business practice.

Sinisa Milatovic

Business, Human Rights and Peace Specialist with UNDP HQ, providing expertise and support to governments, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders.

He serves as the focal point for Business and Conflict in UNDP, having helped to author the UNDP/UN Working Group Guide on Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence for Business in Conflict-Affected Contexts.

Sinisa has 25 years? experience as a human rights lawyer with UN agencies and other organisations in over 40 countries globally.

Sinisa has a DPhil with a focus on business and human rights from the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford. He also holds an MA from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and an LLB from the London School of Economics and Political Science.