DCAF organised a capacity building and training workshop in Bamako in the framework of the Private Security Governance Observatory project, which aims at reinforcing the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Africa in ensuring effective oversight, accountability and good governance of the private security sector. The workshop gathered 18 CSOs from 9 francophone West African countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Senegal). DCAF presented and gathered feedback on a draft ‘Practical Guidance Tool’, which seeks to support CSOs in raising awareness on the status of national Private Security Company (PSC) regulation, engaging with existing international initiatives (i.e. International Code of Conduct (ICoC) and the Montreux Document (MD), and to effectively promote norms, good practices and standards for private security governance at national and international level. The workshop included a presentation by the President of the National Human Rights Commission in Mali, discussing the potential role of CSOs in engaging with national authorities and enhancing PSC regulations and policies at the national level. Various CSOs presented on their work with a focus on human right violations by private security companies in their countries, shared experiences and challenges on the ground.