The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination is mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC/RES/42/9) to monitor the use of mercenaries, mercenary related activities, and the activities of private military and security companies (PMSCs)... 

The Working Group invites all interested governments, civil society organizations, academics, international and inter-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions, activists, private companies and others to provide information and views in writing to support the preparation of its thematic report.

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

1. Regulatory frameworks and their application
2.  Current trends and developments
3. Human rights impacts of mercenaries and mercenary-related activities

Please send your submissions in English, French or Spanish in attachment to an email to [email protected] and kindly indicate if you would like your submission to be published on the website of the Working Group or to be treated as confidential.