Report

Report on the role of private military and security companies in immigration and border management and the impact on the protection of the rights of all migrants

Issued by

Working Group on the use of mercenaries

Published

09 July 2020

Report

Issued by Multiple Mechanisms

Subjects

Mercenaries, Migrants

Symbol Number

A/HRC/45/9

Version

See available official languages

See also

Working Group on the use of mercenaries

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Background

Twice a year, the Working Group on the use of mercenaries issues calls for inputs to inform thematic studies to be presented at the Human Rights Council in its September session and at the General Assembly in October.

This report builds on the Working Group's 2017 report regarding the use of private security providers in places of deprivation of liberty, including immigration-related detention facilities (A/72/286) in which it concluded that outsourcing creates great risks of human rights abuses, including impediments to accountability and remedy for victims. In its 2017 report, the Working Group had also called on States to terminate the practice of outsourcing the overall operation of immigration-related detention facilities to for-profit private security companies.

Furthermore, in 2019, the Working Group organized a panel event on "The Use of PMSCs in Migrant Detention Centers", in which it  drew attention to the continuing use of a broad range of security services in immigration and border management in different regions of the world, going well beyond immigration detention facilities. To identify the key human rights challenges posed by the use of private security services in immigration and border management, the Working Group decided to study current trends and practices in contracting private security services in countries of origin, transit and destination of migrants, including related regulation, monitoring and oversight.

On this basis, the Working Group decided to dedicate a specific thematic report on the role of PMSCs in immigration and border management, with the aim to formulate concrete and practical recommendations aiming to ensure that the human rights of all migrants are protected in situations in which States contract private providers for security services in immigration and border management.

On 5 October 2020, the Working Group on the use of mercenaries and Privacy International co-hosted an online panel discussion with leading experts on the impact of the use of private military and security services in immigration and border management on the protection of the rights of all migrants. The event followed the presentation of the Working Group's report to the 45th session of the Human Rights Council.

Speakers included:

  • Ms. Carolina Hernández Paramo, Moderator, Advisor on Migration and Human Rights, OHCHR
  • Mr. Chris Kwaja, Chair-Rapporteur, Working Group on the use of mercenaries
  • Dr. Ilia Siatitsa, Programme Director, Privacy International
  • Mr. Felipe González Morales, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of Migrants
  • Mr. Graeme Edgerton, Deputy General Counsel, Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Ms. Niamh NiBhriain, Programme Coordinator, Transnational Institute
  • Dr. Daria Davitti, Senior Lecturer, Department of Law, Lund University

Additional information:

  • Event flyer
  • PI-OHCHR joint event on new report presented by Working Group on the use of mercenaries, 5 October 2020

     

Inputs Received
Inputs Received

All submissions received are published below, unless the submitter clearly indicated that they did not wish to have their input be made publicly available when submitting their response.

While the Working Group welcomed any information deemed pertinent to the issue, it was particularly interested in the following areas:

  1. The types and level of private security services performed in immigration and border management and related regulatory and contractual frameworks, particularly as regards:  
  • Border monitoring services (e.g. the development, maintenance and operation of advanced technologies, training and equipment to authorities to implement externalisation of borders, air/land/maritime surveillance);
  • Transportation of migrants;
  • Screening and/or determination of asylum or other claims for protection under international law;
  • Processing of visas and/or pre-departure screening at airports or other points of departure (e.g. related to carrier restrictions);
  • Management and security of immigration-related detention facilities;
  • Deportations and returns, including assisted or voluntary returns;
  • Collection of biometric data and use of private security technologies to support immigration and border management procedures;
  • Security in humanitarian settings, including camps, shelters and transit stations run by UN agencies or national authorities;
  • Procurement rules, contractual requirements, monitoring and oversight of contractual clauses and standards, and accountability mechanisms put into place;
  • The role of private security providers in shaping a security narrative around migration (e.g. through participation in research and development initiatives, marketing private security products, lobbying)
  • Any information regarding allegations of human rights abuses against migrants by PMSCs. This may include acts in which they are reportedly directly responsible or acts that aid and assist violations and abuses by other actors. The Working Group is further interested in learning of efforts to secure accountability for such abuses and violations, and to provide effective remedies for victims.
  • Recognizing the importance of gender and intersectionality as a means to understand fully the impact of PMSC actions on individual migrants and others,any information that includes a gender and intersectional analysis. 

    • Member States

    Other stakeholders

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