General Assembly, Human Rights Council, Resolution 36/11 (2017)

[Source: UN Doc. HRC Res. 36/11 (25 September 2017), Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session36/Pages/ResDecStat.aspx]

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36/… Mandate of the open-ended intergovernmental working group to elaborate the content of an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, and Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1, on institution-building of the Council, and 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate Holders, of 18 June 2007,

Recalling also its resolution 15/26 of 1 October 2010, establishing the open-ended intergovernmental working group to consider the possibility of elaborating an international regulatory framework on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies,

Taking note of the recommendations of the first six sessions of the open-ended intergovernmental working group,

Recognizing the need to protect human rights and ensure accountability for violations and abuses relating to the activities of private military and security companies,

Noting relevant national, regional and international standards and tools, including those prepared by various stakeholders,

1. Decides 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;

2. Also decides that the working group shall meet for five working days and submit an annual progress report to the Human Rights Council in conformity with its annual programme of work;

3. Acknowledges the importance of providing the working group with the expertise and expert advice necessary to fulfil its mandate, and decides that the working group shall invite experts and all relevant stakeholders to participate in its work;

4. Invites 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;

5. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the working group with all the financial and human resources necessary for the fulfilment of its mandate;

6. Decides to remain seized of this important matter.