A/HRC/18/32 Contents Paragraphs Page I. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1–3 4 II. Activities of the Working Group over the past year................................................. 4–33 4 A. Communications ............................................................................................... 6–7 5 B. Press releases .................................................................................................... 8–11 5 C. Country visits.................................................................................................... 12–24 7 D. Participation in the intergovernmental working group on the regulation of private military and security companies .......................................................... 25–26 10 Other activities of Working Group members................................................... 27-33 10 Activities and achievements of the mandate ............................................................ 34–57 12 A. Country visits.................................................................................................... 35–44 12 B. Communications ............................................................................................... 45–49 15 C. Regional consultations...................................................................................... 50–53 16 D. Elaborating a draft convention on private military and security companies... 54-57 17 Key challenges .......................................................................................................... 58–81 18 A. Mercenaries: a recurring and evolving phenomenon....................................... 59–62 18 B. Developing an international regulatory framework for private military and 63–72 19 73–77 22 rights violations ................................................................................................ 78–81 23 Conclusions and recommendations........................................................................... 82-85 24 E. III. IV. security companies............................................................................................ C. Encouraging States to adopt national legislation on private military and security companies............................................................................................ D. V. Holding private military and security companies accountable for human 3