Linking Good Security Sector Governance and SDG16
DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance
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Civil society organization
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#SDGAction33639
Description
The 2030 Agenda recognizes that sustainable development is intertwined with peace and security, each incapable of being achieved without the other. This nexus was made explicit in SDG16, stressing the need for peace, justice, and strong institutions. An essential step to achieve the ambitions envisaged under this goal, is for all states to redouble their efforts to ensure that their national security sector is both effective and accountable, and operates within a framework of democratic civilian oversight, rule of law and respect of human rights.
3. National and Regional Workshops: operational The project also organizes annual workshops to put the research and policy discussions into practice with a view of peer-sharing both North-South cooperation as well as South-South cooperation.
Implementation of the Project/Activity
This project examines the role of three security sector oversight actors - civil society, parliaments and independent oversight institutions - in promoting SDG 16 and includes three workstreams: research products, high-level policy events and national and regional workshops. Through illustrating, both conceptually and empirically, the means through which security sector oversight actors contribute to SDG 16, the project seeks to demonstrate the broader importance of good security sector governance for achieving the 2030 Agenda. This evidence is then used to support high-level policy events, and national and regional workshops.
1. Research Products: the development of knowledge products to situate SSG/R in the context of SDG16 and the 2030 Agenda. These include (but are not limited to):
- Research papers framing the role of SSG/R in relation to the 2030 Agenda and the respective oversight bodies;
- Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) mapping studies which assess the inclusion of SSG/R considerations within VNRs; and
- Country case studies to illustrate good practices wherein security sector oversight actors have contributed to SDG 16 through SSG/R activities.
2. High-Level Policy Events: high-level policy events to familiarize and influence policy makers with security sector oversight bodies’ integral role within the 2030 Agenda, to sensitize security sector oversight bodies to their role in the 2030 Agenda, and to contribute to the policy discourse.
3. National and Regional Workshops: operational The project also organizes annual workshops to put the research and policy discussions into practice with a view of peer-sharing both North-South cooperation as well as South-South cooperation.
Through the project, DCAF is bringing the issue of SSG/R to various high-level events on sustainable development each year, as well as bringing the issue of sustainable development to security sector actors. The project also brings together oversight actors both on a national and regional level, in particular policy makers in the development and security sectors. Initial results have indicated that security sector oversight actors have little understanding of how they can contribute to the achievement of SDG16 and sustainable development. However, by bringing them into broader discussions surrounding the 2030 Agenda, they have recognized their role, and taken initial steps to better align their work to the Agenda. However, as the project has only recently begun, it is premature to assess its impact conclusively. DCAF will continuously monitor the project’s results and impact, and adjust the project’s design accordingly.
Historically, due to their traditional separation, actors in the development and security sector often operate independently and it has been difficult to foster exchanges between them. SDG16, however, has helped to provide a direct link between security and development issues and to communicate their interdependencies. As such, the framework of the 2030 Agenda and the large number of initiatives that derived from it offer a suitable forum to address these linkages and to highlight the importance of SSG/R for sustainable development and vice versa. However, SDG16 incorporates targets which are both complex to implement and to measure. It is important that they are not left aside for other short-term gains despite the time limitations in the 2030 Agenda.
While each country is facing unique challenges regarding its security sector, the project strives to foster mutual learning and the exchange of good practices through dialogue between academics, policy-makers and practitioners from around the world. The guidance developed through this project is validated through regional and national workshops to ensure its relevance for the process of localizing the SDGs. All developed material is freely available online and will be continuously used in DCAF’s extensive operational work after the end of the project.
Website of DCAF’s SDG16-Project: www.dcaf.ch/SDG16 DCAF’s YouTube channel with a number of webinars and videos on SDG16 and SSG/R: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpmFAaCJYycSK-XoszKQxg
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The project focuses on three groups of key stakeholders: members of Parliament, civil society actors and independent oversight institutions. Different activities of the project are carried out in cooperation with international partners, including international organizations, governments of various countries, and civil society organizations. This project is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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