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

A/HRC/RES/45/13View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the Human Rights Council, under agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, published in 2020.

What other versions does this mandate have?

5 versions · 2014–2022

This is an older version — the most recent is A/HRC/RES/50/12

Year	Symbol	Title	Word length	Text similarity
2022	A/HRC/RES/50/12	Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms	1,745	52%Compare
2020	A/HRC/RES/45/13	Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms	1,082	49%Compare
2018	A/HRC/RES/38/10	Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms	940	50%Compare
2015	A/HRC/RES/29/10	Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms	598	81%Compare
2014	A/HRC/RES/26/16	Human rights and the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms	496	–

What subjects does this mandate have?

7 subjects

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

What’s in this document?

10 operative paragraphs

Expresses its concern 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 hundreds of thousands of human beings of all ages around the world have lost their lives or suffered injuries and psychological harm by the misuse of firearms by civilians, thus having their human rights negatively affected;

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, inter alia, socioeconomic interventions, such as programmes, activities and services, tailored to address the factors driving firearms-related violence in order to minimize the human rights impact of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms, with the aim of strengthening the protection of the human rights of all;

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 diversion of firearms;

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 on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights,³ in which she highlighted how increased civilian access to and possession and use of firearms lead to greater levels of violence and insecurity, which have a negative impact on all human rights;

³A/HRC/42/21.

Requests the High Commissioner to prepare a report on the human rights impact of the civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms by children and youth, with a view to contributing to the strengthening or the development of comprehensive public policies based on socioeconomic interventions and services that address the factors driving firearms-related violence, and to present the report to the Human Rights Council at its forty-eighth 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 High Commissioner, to continue to bear in mind the present resolution within the framework of their respective mandates;

Decides to remain seized of this issue.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What other versions does this mandate have?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

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