Session organized by the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination (Working Group on the use of mercenaries)
Short description of the session
This session examines the use of private military and security companies in migrant detention centres. In recent years, the privatization of migrant detention centres has developed in a number of countries in various forms and degrees. States are increasingly delegating various tasks to private security companies. These tasks range from security management to overall management of the detention centres, including escorting of deported migrants. In some countries, the majority of migration detention centres are not just run by private security companies, but also accompanied by other multinational and domestic private contractors in various services (health, food, administration). The profit generated by the privatization of migrant detention centres points to a growing phenomena.
Session objectives
This session seeks to:
- Consider the risks associated with a reliance on for-profit contractors in the realm of migration detention; and
- Highlight allegations of human rights abuses and violations in specific case studies.
Background to the discussion
This session builds on the 2017 report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries regarding the use of PMSCs in privatized prisons and immigration-related detention facilities (
A/72/286).
