A/HRC/36/47 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 20 July 2017 Original: English Human Rights Council Thirty-sixth session 11-29 September 2017 Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Report of 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 Note by the Secretariat The Secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Human Rights Council the report of 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. The report provides an overview of the findings of a global study conducted from 2013 to 2016 on the national legislation on private military and security companies in 60 States from all the regions of the world. The findings focus on existing regulatory gaps, commonalities and good practices and can provide guidance to Member States and various stakeholders on regulation. Existing regulatory gaps are real indicators that more robust measures are required for stronger protection against human rights violations by private military and security companies. The Working Group reiterates the need for a comprehensive, legally binding instrument to ensure adequate human rights protection within, and of, the industry. GE.17-12309(E) 