In resolution 50/12, the Human Rights Council requested the High Commissioner “to prepare, in consultation with Member States, a report on effective national regulations, policies, good practices, challenges and lessons learned to address the negative human rights impact of the civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms and underlying root causes and risk factors driving the availability of firearms and firearms-related violence, including contributions from business enterprises on measures adopted in this regard and their relationship with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and to present the report to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-third session”.

Guiding questions on the inputs sought

• Please identify the ways that civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms has a negative impact on the enjoyment of human rights. Please elaborate upon the nature and extent of such impact and on the factors driving firearms related violence. Are there specific human rights that are particularly affected?
• Please elaborate upon the root causes and risk factors underlying the availability of firearms and firearms-related violence. What specific measures could address these root causes and risk factors?
• Have Member States adopted national regulations and policies that address negative human rights impact of the civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms and firearms-related violence? If so, please describe these regulations and policies and the process of their development. Please outline the extent to which national regulations and policies address business enterprises. Where possible, please indicate whether and to what extent they have been effective. If Member States have faced challenges in effectively implementing them, please provide examples of lessons learned and any measures taken to address the challenges.
• What regulations or policies would you recommend to address the drivers of firearms-related violence, including regulations and policies that address business enterprises? What considerations should they take into account? What sources of information should inform these regulations or policies?

Guiding questions for the business sector

• Please describe whether your business or your industry has carried out any process to determine potential human rights risks associated with involvement in the firearms sector. Involvement in the firearms sector is meant to include, for example, the production, purchase, sale, transport or other distribution of firearms or ammunition for firearms

• Please describe whether your business or your industry has carried out any process to determine potential human rights risks associated with involvement with the firearms sector. Involvement with the firearms sector is meant to include, for example, the financing or insurance of companies in the firearms sector, and the marketing of those companies or their products.

• If an assessment has been made under the previous questions, please briefly describe the results of the assessment.

• Please describe the measures taken by your business or your industry to address or ameliorate the risks of negative human rights impacts related to involvement in or involvement with the firearms sector, including any due diligence and transparency policies adopted, and processes created for remedying negative human rights impacts.

• If your business or your industry has adopted a due diligence or transparency policy, please attach the policy or describe its main elements, highlight the extent to which it takes into account the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and describe what measures have been taken to integrate the policy in your business or in your industry.

How inputs will be used

Unless requested otherwise, the information provided may be made available on the OHCHR website (www.ohchr.org).