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Private security: Research reveals underlying drivers of human rights violations, incl. poor working conditions
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This policy brief from the International Code of Conduct Association, UNI Global and the University of Denver reports on findings from interviews with over 40 experts in the private security industry, an online survey of 400 personnel around the world and in-person surveys with 3,000 personnel across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
There’s this really perverse outsourcing of risk to the most economically, socially and politically vulnerable, where we’re making them absorb the most risk and we’re paying them the leastInterviewee
It aims to uncover the underlying causes of human rights violations in the sector - including working condition - as a critical step in preventing further abuses. The report has eight key findings; recommendations are included alongside:
- Private security personnel face poor working conditions in terms of pay, working hours and health risks. Working extremely long hours without days off was a key factor cited by survey respondents, coupled with lack of benefits from employers and access to unions.
- Labour migrants are commonly subjected to exploitative practices including long hours, no leave entitlement, unfair recruitment , unpaid overtime, inequality and racism, poor management and breach of contract.
- Workplace stratification by factors such as gender, race and nationality affects recruitment practices and working conditions.
- Training provided to private security personnel is critical but often substandard, impacting the ability for personnel to do their job effectively, safely and legally.
- There is a direct link between poor working conditions and private security personnel’s respect for the law.
- Private security Contractor clients have a major impact on private security personnel’s working conditions; for example, procurement pressures to secure cheaper contracts results in contractors adopting lower standards to secure contracts.
- Governments are both the primary regulators and major procurers of private security, providing them with opportunities to implement, monitor and enforce minimum labour standards and lead by example as clients.
- Other actors and mechanisms, including ICoCA, can drive change by raising awareness of and promoting compliance with legal standards relating to working conditions in the private security industry.