IHRIBLOGO-7-17-12-4

American University Washington College of Law’s Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law presents:

 

WEBINAR/WEBCAST SERIES

Montreux Fives Years On: Assessing the current status of the development and implementation of international standards for the private military and security industry

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the finalization 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. The result of a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in 2006 by the Swiss government’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Montreux Document was signed by 17 states in September 2008 and is currently supported by 43 states and the European Union. The Document details international law as it applies to the activities of private military and security companies in the context of armed conflict, and also contains a set of good practices designed to assist states in implementing their obligations under international law through various national measures. This webinar and webcast series features stakeholders from business, government, and civil society, who have been working towards improving regulation, oversight, and accountability for the private military and security industry, to examine the implementation of the best practices outlined in Montreux Document as well as other relevant international initiatives. 

Webinars

 

Recorded Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Value of International Regulation from a Company and Client Perspective

Moderator: Dr. Rebecca DeWinter-Schmitt, Co-Director, Initiative for Human Rights in Business, Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law

Security Industry – Mark DeWitt, Deputy General Counsel and Vice President, Triple Canopy

Extractives Industry – Andrew Orsmond, Associate, Foley Hoag, LLP

Non-Governmental Organizations – Amaury Cooper, Deputy Director of Risk Management & Global Security, International Relief and Development

United Nations – Stuart Groves, UN Security Consultant

  

Recorded Friday, April 26, 2013

Implementation of Montreux Commitments: Comparative Perspectives

Moderator: Dr. Rebecca DeWinter-Schmitt, Co-Director, Initiative for Human Rights in Business, Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law

The history, origins and purpose of the Montreux Document: Benjamin Buckland, Project Officer for Public Private Partnerships, DCAF

USA – Christopher Mayer, Director, Armed Contingency Contractor Policy and Programs at Department of Defense

Australia – David Dutton, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

South Africa – Dr. Sabelo Gumedze, Head of Research and Development, Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority, South Africa

Switzerland – Dr. Felix Schwendimann, Deputy Head of Section, Section for International Humanitarian Law, Directorate of International Law, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Recorded Monday, April 29, 2013

International Initiatives Addressing Private Security Provision

Moderator: Dr. Heather Elms, Associate Professor, American University, Kogod School of Business

United Nations Draft Convention on Private Military and Security Companies – Faiza Patel, UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries

International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers and other voluntary regulation – Meg Roggensack, Senior Advisor for Business and Human Rights, Human Rights First

Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights – J.J. Messner, Senior Associate, Fund for Peace 

Click here to listen to the audio-only recording.

Recorded Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Challenges Faced by the Larger Private Military and Security Industry

Moderator: Dr. Rebecca DeWinter-Schmitt, Co-Director, Initiative for Human Rights in Business, Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law

Montreux’s International Legal Standards and Best Practices During Armed Conflict and Beyond – Andrew Carswell, Delegate to the Canadian and U.S. Armed Forces, ICRC

The Role of the Private Sector in Detention and other Military Services – Katherine Gallagher, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights (Invited)

The Relevance of the Montreux Document to the Maritime Security Industry - Jon Huggins, Director, Oceans Beyond Piracy, One Earth Foundation

Recorded Thursday, May 25, 2013

A talk with Doug Brooks, President Emeritus of the International Stability Operations Association

Moderator:

Dr. Rebecca DeWinter-Schmitt, Co-Director, Initiative for Human Rights in Business, Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law

Click here to listen to the audio-only recording.

Biographies of the speakers can be found here.