Stakeholder Consultation: Geneva Guidelines on Less-Lethal Weapons and Related Equipment in Law Enforcement

Policeman with a TASER X26 Policeman with a TASER X26

31 July 2018

Stakeholders are invited to submit comments or suggestions to a draft set of guidelines on the lawful and responsible design, production, procurement, testing, training, transfer, and use of less-lethal weapons and related equipment. These draft guidelines have been developed following a broad consultation process carried out in the framework of the Geneva Human Rights Platform and its focus on current challenges related to the use of force.

In an international expert group convened by the Geneva Academy and the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (University of Pretoria) the United Nations (UN) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, representatives from law enforcement agencies around the world, academic experts and members of civil society could comment on a draft set of guidelines on the lawful and responsible design, production, procurement, testing, training, transfer, and use of less-lethal weapons (LLWs) and related equipment.

About the Geneva Guidelines on LLWs and related Equipment in Law Enforcement

The draft revised by the international expert group was designed early this year by an academic working group made of leading academics, law enforcement experts and practitioners, and representatives from international organizations and civil society. The process also benefited from a series of meetings and consultations throughout 2018 and from ongoing contributions of several UN Special Rapporteurs.

This draft document aims to build upon, and in no way to challenge or to update, the United Nations (UN) Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

It is intended to assist relevant stakeholders in meeting the requirement of these existing standards to develop ‘non-lethal incapacitating weapons for use in appropriate situations’ and that such development and/or deployment of such weapons be ‘carefully evaluated in order to minimize the risk of endangering uninvolved persons’.

This process forms part of the Geneva Human Rights Platform and its focus on current challenges related to the use of force.

Inputs from a Broad Range of Stakeholders

The Geneva Academy and the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (University of Pretoria) now seek further inputs from an even broader range of stakeholders, including representatives of states, law enforcement agencies, human rights bodies and mechanisms, private security companies, manufacturers, and individuals or agents of any bodies using force for law enforcement purposes, civil society organisations and human rights defenders.

Stakeholders are invited to submit comments or suggestions to thomas.probert[at]up.ac.za and kamelia.kemileva[at]geneva-academy.ch by 17 September 2018.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

web of information News

New Research Brief Examines the Relationship Between Digital Technologies and Their Misuse in Surveillance, Cyberattacks, and Disinformation Campaigns

21 February 2025

Our new research brief examines the complex relationship between digital technologies and their misuse in surveillance, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns.

Read more

GHRP EU News News

Bridging Geneva and Europe: advancing human rights in the digital age

2 June 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform has taken its work on strengthening the international human rights system to the heart of European policymaking.

Read more

Training

Human Rights and the Environment: Introducing Legal Regimes and Key Issues

1-8 September 2025

Participants in this training course will be introduced to the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights, as well as international environmental law and its implementation and enforcement mechanisms.

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

View of a session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

Human Rights Conversations

Started in January 2020

A series of events aimed at discussing contemporary issues and challenges related to the promotion and protection of human rights in Geneva and beyond.

Read more

A destroyed camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Khor Abeche, South Darfur, Project

Understanding the Relationship between Conflict, Security and the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

Started in May 2023

This project will develop guidance to inform security, human rights and environmental debates on the linkages between environmental rights and conflict, and how their better management can serve as a tool in conflict prevention, resilience and early warning.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more