Chile Working Group holds its first in-person session and sets its 2026 roadmap

On Thursday, 12 March 2026, the Chile Working Group on the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights held its third plenary session and, for the first time, met in person. The meeting took place in Santiago and brought together representatives of the Group's three pillars: Government; Business; Civil Society, Academia and Indigenous Peoples.

A historic session for the Chile Working Group

Since its inauguration in September 2024, the Chile Working Group had operated mainly online. This third session marked a milestone by bringing its members together in person for the first time. The session was organized by the Executive Committee and by the Executive Secretariat, which is run by Fundación Empresas Indígenas.

Representatives of companies in the extractive and energy sectors took part, as did public bodies such as the OECD National Contact Point at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrel) and civil society organizations such as Fundación Emerge Chile, Acción Empresas, the UC Sustainability Program and Fundación Empresas Indígenas.

2026 Work Plan: five strategic lines

The Executive Committee presented the proposed 2026 Work Plan, which the session approved. It is structured around five strategic lines:

1. Promoting awareness of and training in respect for human rights.
2. Designing practical tools for the implementation of the Voluntary Principles.
3. Coordinating with the State to foster collaboration on public and private security.
4. Strengthening governance, expanding the group with new actors, and the sustainability of the Working Group.
5. Promoting responsible engagement with local communities and Indigenous peoples.

Upcoming challenges

The agreements adopted at Session No. 3 include the approval of the quarterly action plan, the launch of training workshops on the Voluntary Principles for each pillar, and the organization of a talk on Law No. 21,659.

In the coming days, the Working Group's Executive Secretariat will also take part in the Annual Plenary of the Voluntary Principles Initiative in London (24–26 March), where it will present the progress of the Working Group.

The Chile Working Group thus reaffirms its commitment to building a multi-stakeholder space for continuous learning, advocacy and collaboration to promote respect for human rights in the security practices of Chile's extractive sector.