Economic actors and institutions – including private businesses, the World Bank, and the WTO – can have a profound impact on the realization of human rights. Whether it’s a case of an indigenous community displaced from their land for the benefit of a mining company, a World Bank-funded dam that pollutes the environment, or a state being unable to provide crucial medicines because of international property agreements, understanding the relationship between human rights and economic actors, activities, and institutions is necessary for securing the full realization of rights.