Human Rights and the Regulation of Civilian Acquisition, Possession and Use of Firearms

A/HRC/RES/50/12View PDF

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the Human Rights Council, under agenda item 3Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, published in 2022.

What other versions does this mandate have?

5 versions · 2014–2022

2022A/HRC/RES/50/12Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearmsLatestCompare with previous version
2020A/HRC/RES/45/13Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearmsCompare with previous version
2018A/HRC/RES/38/10Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearmsCompare with previous version
2015A/HRC/RES/29/10Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearmsCompare with previous version
2014A/HRC/RES/26/16Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

Who cites this mandate in the budget?

1 entity

Extracted automatically from each entity’s budget submission.

What subjects does this mandate have?

7 topics

Business Enterprises Children Civilian Persons Firearms Laws and Regulations Right to Life Right to Security of Person

What does this mandate say?

14 operative paragraphs

Expresses its concern that the global number of firearms is rising, that civilians own far more firearms worldwide than the military and law enforcement sectors combined, and that the majority of these firearms are unregistered;

Reiterates its deep concern at the fact that the majority of firearms-related homicides are committed in non-conflict settings, and that every year hundreds of thousands of human beings of all ages around the world lose their lives or suffer injuries, lifelong disability and psychological harm from the misuse of firearms by civilians, thus having their human rights negatively affected, and that these profound long-term impacts expose individuals to further vulnerabilities and human rights concerns relating to their enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights;

Recognizes that civilian firearms-related violence and insecurity pose direct risks to the right to life and to security of person, and also affect other civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights;

Calls upon States to do their utmost to take appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures, consistent with international law, in particular human rights law, and their constitutional frameworks, including comprehensive, inclusive and evidence-based public policies, tailored to address the root causes and risk factors driving firearms-related violence, including different forms of inequality and discrimination rooted in negative stereotypes, in order to minimize the human rights impact of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms, with the aim of strengthening the protection and enjoyment of the human rights of all;

Also calls upon States to consider adopting requirements for manufacturers and dealers of firearms based on the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which include the responsibility to avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts, preventing or mitigating human rights abuse, and the responsibility to conduct human rights due diligence;

Calls once more upon States to ensure that regulations on civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms include appropriate measures to avoid illicit practices, including the diversion of firearms;

Calls upon States to adopt effective national regulations on the acquisition, possession and use of firearms by children, and to invest in and support community-based interventions aimed at violence prevention and rehabilitation of children and youth trapped in environments of violence, as relevant;

Encourages States to collect and publish disaggregated data on the acquisition, possession and use of firearms, including by children and youth, where feasible and consistent with their constitutional and legislative frameworks, and to analyse the underlying drivers of firearms use affecting the enjoyment of human rights;

Calls upon all States to take effective measures with the aim of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Sustainable Development Goal 16, to promote peaceful and inclusive societies;

Takes note with appreciation of the report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the impact of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms by children and youth, in which the High Commissioner detailed the profound impact that the use of civilian firearms has on the enjoyment of human rights, calls for comprehensive measures to reduce the harm caused by firearms, and recommends reducing the availability of firearms in society and implementing measures designed to prevent and address the underlying causes of firearms-related deaths and injuries;

Requests the High Commissioner to prepare, in consultation with Member States, a report on effective national regulations, policies and good practices, challenges and lessons learned to address the negative human rights impact of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms and underlying root causes and risk factors driving the availability of firearms and firearms-related violence, including contributions from business enterprises on measures adopted in this regard and their relationship with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and to present the report to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-third session;

Invites all relevant special procedures, commissions of inquiry and other accountability mechanisms, and human rights treaty bodies, as well as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to continue to bear in mind the present resolution within the framework of their respective mandates;

Invites all business enterprises, including those involved in the manufacture and sale of firearms, to consider the reports of the High Commissioner on human rights and civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms when addressing the human rights impacts of their operations, in line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights;

Decides to remain seized of this issue.

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