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. The report is available here.

On 6 October 2020, the Human Rights Council in its resolution 45/16 decided to renew the mandate of the open-ended intergovernmental working group for a period of three years, with the same mandate as in resolution 36/11.

The second session of the intergovernmental working group took place from 26 to 29 April 2021. The progress report on the second session is available here.

The third session of the open-ended intergovernmental working group took place from 9 to 13 May 2022. The revised zero draft instrument on an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring of and oversight over the activities of private military and security companies served as the basis for negotiation during that session. The progress report on the third session is available here.

In early October 2022, the Chair-Rapporteur released the second draft instrument on an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring of and oversight over the activities of private military and security companies in both a clean and track version.

The fourth session of the intergovernmental working group mandated to elaborate the content of an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies took place from 17-21 April 2023. The progress report on the fourth session is available here.