VPSHR – Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights

The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights contribute to the protection of human rights and the prevention of conflicts in connection with the extractive industry. Switzerland plays a leading role in the implementation of the voluntary principles and from March 2013 and it will chair the steering committee.

The voluntary principles are addressed to companies operating in the extractive and energy sectors. They provide guidelines for these companies on risk assessment and taking measures to ensure that security firms, the military and the police comply with human rights when performing their security tasks for the companies concerned. This takes the form of guidelines and an initiative in which all the relevant interest groups – civil society, companies, states – are involved. At the moment the membership of the initiative consists of 21 oil, gas and mining companies, 12 NGOs, 8 governments (incl. Switzerland) and 5 observers. The mining company Xstrata was the first company based in Switzerland to be included.
 List of participants

Conflict prevention
The voluntary principles are an instrument that supports states in fulfilling their duty to protect human rights, in relation with the security of extractive industry operations. They also promote economic development and stability. By calling on companies to analyse human rights risks, to prevent violations and to conduct a dialogue with the population, local authorities and public and private security forces, they help to prevent conflicts.

Switzerland’s commitment
The Voluntary Principles corresponds to Switzerland’s foreign policy goals, which advocate sustainable development, human rights protection, conflict prevention and peace promotion. Switzerland was accepted as an Engaged Government in March 2010 and in September 2011 it became a Participating Government. In its national action plan, Switzerland underlines its willingness to support, promote and implement the Voluntary Principles, particularly in the case of Swiss companies operating in the extractive sector abroad.

It also advocates the promotion and protection of investments in the extractive industry by promoting an environment that reduces operational and legal risks and the danger of reputational damage.

In dialogue with extractive industry companies
The FDFA has contacted mining companies based in Switzerland to raise their awareness of the Voluntary Principles. Switzerland participates locally in various in-country processes to ensure the implementation of the Voluntary Principles in mining regions. The aim is to make the governments of the host states more aware of the Voluntary Principles, to persuade them to join the initiative and to promote dialogue between the industry, the authorities and civil society about human rights and security practices. In Peru and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Switzerland is playing a leading role at the local level in these processes. It is also supporting awareness raising and implementation in other priority countries with high levels of natural resource extraction such as Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, Indonesia and Mongolia.

Switzerland chairs the steering committee
Switzerland is actively involved in decision-making processes by the initiative and in the further development of the Voluntary Principles. Its aim is to promote their practical implementation on the ground and to help develop instruments for the evaluation of their impact. From March 2013 onwards, Switzerland will chair the steering committee of the Voluntary Principles and will strongly advocate the strengthening of the positive effects of the Initiative.

http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/topics/human/humri/humcon/pv.html