A forum for participants of the Montreux Document on pertinent international legal obligations and good practices for states related to operations of private military and security companies during armed conflict.
Challenges and recommendations
Since the early 1990s, the world has seen a shift in the way that security is provided by state actors. Many traditional public security functions have been contracted out to private military and security companies (PMSCs) within domestic and international markets. Trends indicate that the use of PMSCs is increasing with States private sector and other organisations, (including humanitarian organisations) contracting private military and security services. PMSCs today also operate in a variety of contexts. Furthermore, some PMSCs have attracted increasing international attention due to allegations of misconduct or human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) by the company or its personnel. In all these circumstances, there is potential for misconduct and significant adverse human rights impacts by PMSCs. Further, at a national level, many States lack adequate national legal frameworks to address such issues. There is an urgent need for improvements to national regulatory frameworks to ensure PMSCs promote an internal human rights culture and, ultimately, respect human rights principles.
Check out this new online course on private military and security regulation to learn more about the challenges they raise and the ways to include international standards in national regulation. It draws heavily on the guidance of the Montreux Document and on other leading international frameworks and sets out challenges faced by States to adequately regulate PMSC activities at the national level and provides recommendations for:
- Permitted and prohibited activities of PMSCs
- Authority responsible for the PMSC industry
- Vetting, selection, and contracting
- Preventing misconduct by PMSCs and their personnel
- Accountability and grievance mechanisms
Latest News
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On the 21st of September 2023 Romania officially declared its participation in the Montreux Document, proudly becoming the 59th State.29 September 2023 -
DCAF, in its capacity as the Montreux Document Forum Secretariat, invites States to submit requests for advisory support related to the regulation of private military and security companies.10 May 2022 -
Research authored by Charlotte Penel and Ulrich Petersohn shows strong evidence of the impact of the implementation of the Montreux Document on the decrease of violence against civilians during and after the end of ho...27 April 2022