First session of the Open-ended intergovernmental working group to elaborate the content of an international regulatory framework, without prejudging the nature thereof, relating to the activities of private military and security companies
On 28 September 2017, the Human Rights Council in its resolution 36/11 decided to establish a new open-ended intergovernmental working group, for a period of three years, with a mandate to elaborate the content of an international regulatory framework, without prejudging the nature thereof, to protect human rights and ensure accountability for violations and abuses relating to the activities of private military and security companies, to be informed by the discussion document on elements for an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies, as prepared by the Chair-Rapporteur, and further inputs from Member States and other stakeholders.
The Human Rights Council also acknowledged the importance of providing the working group with the expertise and expert advice necessary to fulfil its mandate, and decided that the working group shall invite experts and all relevant stakeholders to participate in its work. The Council invited the contributions of Governments, relevant special procedure mandate holders and mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies, regional groups, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the industry and other stakeholders with relevant expertise, including the Co-Chairs of the Montreux Document Forum and the International Code of Conduct Association.
The first session of the intergovernmental working group took place from 20 to 23 May 2019 at Palais des Nations, room XX, and was presented at the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council . The report is available at : https://undocs.org/A/HRC/42/36.
Following the first session, and in line with operative paragraph 4 of resolution 36/11, written contributions on the discussion document on elements for an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies were sought from Governments, relevant special procedure mandate holders and mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies, regional groups, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the industry and other stakeholders with relevant expertise, including the Co-Chairs of the Montreux Document Forum and the International Code of Conduct Association.
Responses to the call for submission: