A/HRC/18/32 the transfer of certain functions to private, non-State actors as part of the growing international trend to outsource traditional State functions to private military and security firms. Participants shared information regarding the potential repercussions of this practice on national sovereignty and discussed the regulations and other measures that States have adopted to ensure that private military and security companies respect international human rights standards. 53. The Working Group and participants discussed general guidelines, norms and basic principles for the regulation and oversight of the activities of private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and security services on the international market. The Working Group also took the opportunity to report on its work towards a possible new binding international legal instrument on the regulation of private military and security companies to encourage the further protection of human rights. D. Elaborating a draft convention on private military and security companies 54. In its resolution 2005/2, the Commission on Human Rights requested the Working Group to monitor and study the effects of the activities of private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and security services on the international market on the enjoyment of human rights, particularly the right of peoples to self-determination, and to prepare draft international basic principles that encourage respect for human rights on the part of those companies in their activities. The Human Rights Council reiterated this request in its resolution 7/21. 55. In March 2009, in its resolution 10/11, the Human Rights Council requested the Working Group to consult with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and experts on the content and scope of a possible draft convention on private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and other military securityrelated services on the international market, and an accompanying model law, and other legal instruments, and to share with Member States, through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, elements for a possible draft convention on private military and security companies, to request their input on the content and scope of such a convention and to transmit their replies to the Working Group. 56. Pursuant to the request of the Human Rights Council, the Working Group, on the basis of extensive consultations with Governments, academics and non-governmental organizations, prepared the text of a possible new draft convention to regulate the activities of private military and security companies. The Working Group circulated a draft of such a convention in July 2009 to more than 250 experts, academics and non-governmental organizations. As a result of comments received and discussions with various stakeholders, the Working Group prepared a note on the elements for a possible draft convention on private military and security companies, which was transmitted in January 2010 to all Member States for comment. The Working Group also received input regarding elements of a possible draft convention during the regional consultations referred to earlier. 57. In total, the Working Group received more than 400 suggestions, amendments, proposals and formulations from a wide variety of stakeholders, including Member States, international organizations and private military and security companies. At the conclusion of this broad and inclusive consultative process, the Working Group presented a draft text of a possible convention on private military and security companies to the Human Rights Council at its fifteenth session (A/HRC/15/25). The proposed convention is a comprehensive text consisting of more than 40 articles. It elaborates not only general principles, but further proposes the elements, including definitions and detailed provisions, for a legally binding instrument. 13