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These new reference papers on Security System Reform were endorsed by ministers and aid agency heads. They agreed that a democratic and accountable security system helps prevent the outbreak and recurrence of violent conflict and provide the basis of stability for economic and social development.
This marks a major shift in donor attention. While aid agencies have traditionally tended to keep involvement with army, police, prosecution at arms length, the donor community is now acknowledging the importance of these issues for governance and hence for creating the right conditions for poverty reduction.
The security system includes the justice and penal sectors, customs, police and military as well as institutions and mechanisms for control, oversight and accountability. It is essential that donors understand the possible interconnections between these different institutions.
Although security system reforms are likely to be highly complex and require long-term sustained assistance, their objectives are clear:
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Each service in the system must work to deliver justice and security effectively to all individuals regardless of the social group to which they belong.
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They must be accountable to the citizens they serve, carrying out their functions under transparent rules and procedures, and subject to effective and duly appointed civil institutions responsible for oversight.
Regional analysis in the publication (covering Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Baltics, south east Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States), however, has shown that while security-related reform activity is underway in these countries, very few of them have integrated programmes that conform with the OECD DAC definition. The concept and terminology of security system reform is, for the most part, still not familiar to government officials and members of security forces, and the primary impetus for security system reform tends to come from outside the country in which it takes place.
Some key points are, therefore, worth underlining:
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Unless motivation for reforms comes from within a developing country, they are unlikely to be sustainable over time. This means that reforms must be worked out and implemented in dialogue with the individuals and groups who have a stake in them.
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Every effort should be made to extend the dialogue beyond the government, other major political players and the security services. Parliaments and civil society groups (including the media), for example, have vital roles to play as advocates and watch-dogs of reform and as providers of knowledge on policy issues and citizens' needs.
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Donors and international organisations must coordinate activities across the range of their departments, from those involved in restructuring defence forces or improving public expenditure management, to those facilitating community-based policing or integrating different mechanisms for delivering justice. Without such an approach, there is a risk that piece-meal efforts will undermine each other.
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Donors and organisations must analyse the context in which the reforms take place. This will make sure that assistance is provided in a way that is appropriate to a specific country or region.
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Regional initiatives using regional organisations and civil society networks can have very positive impacts on national reform processes and should be explored
DAC Guidelines on Security System Reform (SSR) are available at http://www.oecd.org/dac/conflict/ssr
These complement the 2001 Helping Prevent Violent Conflict Guidelines available at
www.oecd.org/dac/conflict/preventionguidelines
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