International Alert works with civil society and governments to promote the implementation of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs). They have engaged with the VPs process since 2000 by working with communities affected by conflict and companies operating in conflict-affected areas. The VPs bring together governments, companies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide guidance on maintaining security while respecting human rights. NGOs play an important role by raising awareness of the VPs, supporting implementation, acting as accountability mechanisms, and ensuring the voices of affected communities are represented. In Myanmar, International Alert aims to increase awareness and participation of national NGOs in the local VPs working group to strengthen implementation.

1. How are civil society / NGOs
involved in the Voluntary
Principles?
Introduction to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights
in Myanmar
Jana Naujoks, International Alert Myanmar

2. International Alert works with people directly affected
by conflict to lay the foundations of lasting peace
• HQ in London and working in 20 countries and territories
worldwide - 30 years of experience
• Believe to build peace and stability, must work with both those
affected by conflict, and those impacting conflict. This includes
companies. Our Approach:
• Work with civil society at same time, and government
• Make sure international standards actually work in practice
• Approach: “Due diligence” of companies
• Engaged in VPs process since co-founding them in 2000,
• in-country, in particular in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, DRC, Peru, Mali,
Myanmar, South Africa and Uganda.
• Myanmar programme since 2012:
• Conflict Sensitivity: Economic Governance, local development
• Natural Resource Management, especially conflict sensitive forest
governance reform
• Gender, Peace & Security
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3. International 3 Pillars (international and national actors)
come together in a high-level commitment
to the VPs
National
Project Level
• Raising Awareness of VPs Internationally
• Raising International Standards for Human
Rights Promotion
• Sharing Lessons Learned and
Implementation Tools
• Developing Implementation Guidance
• Reporting and Oversight
VPs Implementation

4. VPs Implementation
International
Home Governments, NGOs, and Companies
come together to promote the VPs and
encourage host government adoption. Host
Government should take lead at some point in
this process.
National
Project Level
• Raising Awareness of VPs Nationally
• Encouraging Host Government Adoption of VPs
• Sharing Lessons Learned and Implementation
Tools
• Engaging National Forces
• Facilitating VP implementation by companies at
project sites
• Designing and disseminating processes and
tools adapted to context of country

5. VPs Implementation
International
Companies implement the VPs at site level (can be multiple in a
single country). They have reasonable expectation of support
from the other pillars, but have thus far been the heavy lifter at
this level
National
Project Level
• Risk assessments undertaken as per VPs
• Contracts with private security providers (as applicable)
include VPs
• Dialogue with private/public security and communities
about the VPs
• Grievance mechanisms and Incident Reporting in place
• Training of private security providers and local public
security

6. The three pillars
Governments
•Promote and protect human
rights, consistent with
international human rights
obligations, including developing
regulations, policies, programs
•Enable and support companies
in implementing the VPs
•Promote greater awareness of
the VPs among relevant national
and sub-national government
• Work closely with communities
and civil society on the ground to
help develop, identify, deliver
and record best practices on
implementation of the VPs
Companies
•Undertake adequate risk
assessments that include
a focus on issues related
to S&HR.
•Mandate and audit as
appropriate VPs
adherence in contracts
with PSPs
•Encourage adherence to
the VPs by public security
forces
•Report, remedy, and
rectify credible HR&S
incidents
•Adopting assessment
processes to measure and
improve progress.
NGOs
•Confidential dialogue with participants
when allegations of VPs non-adherence
occur.
•Help companies and govt’s identify
areas needing improvement related to
S&HR.
•Support the development and roll out
of tools to improve conflict and gender
sensitive VP implementation.
•All NGOs have a responsibility to raise
awareness and promote understanding
of the VPs among their various
constituencies, including both women
and men.

7. NGOs and the Voluntary Principles
• The VPs, like any similar initiative, has to be multi-stakeholder in order to be
legitimate:
the importance of CSO awareness of the VPs in Myanmar and CSO participation in
the group are key:
• to raise awareness of significant issues
• bringing in community voices of men, women, and marginalised groups
• acting as an accountability mechanism
• aiding/ ensuring companies’ implementation of the VPs
• VPs In-Country Working Groups: in Peru, Nigeria, and Ghana
• national NGOs from these countries have joined either the in-country groups, or the VPI
itself.
• eg. Socios Peru, LITE-Africa and New Nigeria Foundation are all members of the VPI.
• It is expected that more national CSOs will join in coming years.
• The ICWG is exploring opportunities to raise awareness of the VPs at a sub-national
level with CSOs in Myanmar in 2019, and linking the VPs into CSOs’ existing priorities.
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