Outsourcing responsibility: Human rights policies in the defence sector
Every year corporate actors supply large volumes of military equipment to some of the most violent and unstable parts of the world. This equipment is often used unlawfully in the context of armed conflicts and in political unrest marred by serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law...
While Amnesty International acknowledges the key role of the state as the licensing authority for military goods and services, this report focuses on the role and separate human rights responsibilities of corporations involved in the arms trade. It examines the defence industry’s human rights responsibilities and the policies and procedures that the sector has in place for identifying, preventing, addressing or accounting for its human rights impacts...
Prior to publication, Amnesty International contacted the principle companies mentioned in this report, outlining its main findings and inviting responses...
States where companies are located or operate from have a vital role to play... Exports licences should only be issued to companies which can demonstrate that they have adequately assessed all human rights impacts of proposed exports, and have developed detailed plans to prevent and mitigate actual and potential human rights risks.