Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 11/2009

A Workshop with the UN Working Group on Mercenaries

James Cockayne

August 2009

International Peace Institute

Abstract

On July 29, 2009, the International Peace Institute convened a meeting of civil society, academic, and industry representatives to meet with the United Nations 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. The UN Human Rights Council has requested that this Working Group consult with a wide range of actors on the content and scope of possible legal instruments for regulation of private military and security companies.