Summary

In the present report, the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination examines the recruitment of mercenaries and mercenary-related actors and the phenomenon of predatory recruitment. The recruitment of mercenaries and mercenary-related actors has increased in conflict, post-conflict and conflict-affected contexts, intensifying the risk of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. The recruitment of mercenaries and mercenary-related actors is conducted by a variety of actors, including States and non-State actors. Examining the mechanisms through which the recruitment of mercenaries takes place, the entities involved in the recruitment, the profile of the individuals recruited, the contexts in which mercenaries and mercenary-related actors are recruited and other relevant aspects surrounding the practice is key to tackling the phenomenon of mercenarism. In this context, the Working Group has observed with concern a trend towards the entrenchment of the phenomenon of predatory recruitment, whereby individuals are recruited in a way that takes advantage of their socioeconomic status and other vulnerabilities and may involve different forms of exploitation. In the report, the Working Group urges States to take an approach that addresses the root causes of recruitment, including predatory recruitment, to tackle the scourge of mercenarism.

During the preparation of the present report, the Working Group was composed of Ravindran Daniel (Chair), Sorcha MacLeod, Jelena Aparac, Chris Kwaja and Carlos Salazar Couto.