The effective provision of security and justice is one of the main requirements for a peaceful society and sustained social and economic development. This is particularly important in post-settlement or post-conflict countries where sources of insecurity are exacerbated by the actual and anticipated return of ex-combatants, refugees and internally displaced people.
Threats are also posed by poorly trained and often corrupt security forces in weak or failed governance and justice institutions as well as the widespread proliferation of small arms and light weapons which can fuel criminality, banditry and possibly renewed conflict. Alert works to connect up the experiences and concerns of those who are the intended beneficiaries of security enhancing programmes with the donors, policy makers and implementers on order to improve both policy and practice. Working with governments, civil society and community groups to ensure that security and justice is provided isone of the major elements of strategic peacebuilding.  SECURITY SECTOR REFORM (SSR) International Alert uses the concept of JSSR, Justice and Security Sector Reform, to emphasize the centrality of justice. It is derived from thinking from UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR).  DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION (DDR) Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) - A process that contributes to security and stability in a post-conflict recovery context by removing weapons from the hands of combatants, taking the combatants out of military structures and helping them to integrate socially and economically into society by finding civilian livelihoods.  COMMUNITY SECURITY It is accepted that security at the national (or state) level is key in post conflict/settlement contexts. Engagement with state institutions is essential, however this should not be attempted at the exclusion of local and community level security considerations. Security at the local and community level is of equal importance both in and of itself and if programmes for national security are to have any sustainability or traction.  SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS (SALW)
Small arms and light weapons - including revolvers, rifles, sub-machine guns and portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns - cause insecurity and human suffering in numerous places across the globe and hamper sustainable development. Removing these weapons and addressing the causes of proliferation are a crucial part of promoting peace and creating safer societies.  SECURITY SECTOR REFORM (SSR)
The OECD DAC Guidelines on Security System Reform and Governance agreed at the ministerial level in 2004 define the security system as including: core security actors (e.g. armed forces, police, gendarmerie, border guards, customs and immigration, and intelligence and security services); security management and oversight bodies (e.g. ministries of defence and internal affairs, financial management bodies and public complaints commissions); justice and law enforcement institutions (e.g. the judiciary, prisons, prosecution services, traditional justice systems); and non-statutory security forces (e.g. private security companies, guerrilla armies and private militia).
International Alert uses the concept of JSSR, Justice and Security Sector Reform, to emphasize the centrality of justice. It is derived from thinking from UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR). In many of the conflict zones where International Alert works, the security sector (armed forces, police and intelligence services) is a key obstacle to building lasting peace. If security agents do not play a legitimate and accountable role in providing security for citizens then not only are they unable to prevent conflicts occurring but they can also be a source of tension and violence. Security Sector Reform (SSR) aims to make the security and justice sector a positive force for reducing conflict and building a stable environment Reform of the security and justice sector is a vital part of post-conflict reconstruction. Without guaranteed security for civilians, efforts to disarm communities will not succeed, as people are unlikely to surrender their weapons if they feel unsafe, refugees and internally displaced people will not return to their homes and the likelihood of investment in the economy by businesses is slim. SSR related programmes have become an increasingly important component of peace processes. The success of SSR programming is essential for providing the necessary secure space for long-term equitable economic development to be initiated and consolidated. This requires:
ENCOURAGING CIVILIAN INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN SECURITY SECTOR REFORM
We have been working on the issue of security sector reform (SSR) since 2000. All too often, it is seen as a purely technical issue, and is based on training for security professionals and those working at the political and decision-making level. Whilst this training is important, it is also vital that security sector reform involves the local community so that they accept it, so that it reflects their needs and so that they can play a role in overseeing its work.
One of the areas we currently focusing on is building the capacity of civil society to become more involved in SSR. This work includes supporting research by local partners in order to provide accurate data on security issues (for example gauging opinions of the security situation at the grassroots level, assessing priorities and needs of ordinary people) and ensuring that this knowledge informs decision making at the national and international level. This work is taking place in the West Africa and Nepal. PRIVATISATION OF SECURITY
The privatisation of security is a neglected part of security sector reform because traditionally, reform has been focused on the police, military and intelligence services as they are controlled by the state. However, over the past decade there has been a surge in the privatisation of security. Private security companies provide ‘police-type’ security, such as guarding banks or other buildings. Private military companies offer military services (although usually not direct combat) such as training, equipment, logistics and strategic advice. In many countries, for example, most recently in Iraq, private military and security companies are a significant part of the security sector. However, they are often not regulated so there are few controls on where and how they operate, increasing the likelihood of human rights abuses.
Working with Saferworld and the UNDP/Stability Pact South Eastern Europe Small Arms Clearinghouse (SEESAC) International Alert completed a survey of the implications of the privatisation of security in South Eastern Europe. The study concentrates on the ramifications that private security companies have on SSR processes and SALW proliferation in the region. This report covers all eight countries covered by the Stability Pact and examines separately the three entities within the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro. The report can be downloaded from the SEESAC Website. DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION (DDR)
Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) - A process that contributes to security and stability in a post-conflict recovery context by removing weapons from the hands of combatants, taking the combatants out of military structures and helping them to integrate socially and economically into society by finding civilian livelihoods.
In countries emerging from conflict the presence of a large number of ex-combatants and those associated with fighting forces (such as wives, porters, cooks, sex slaves) poses a great threat to sustainable peace. Many of these people will have known no other way of life than war and violence. Their sense of identity is integrally linked with the armed structures they have been fighting with. Often ex-combatants lack the marketable skills, material assets and social networks required to find alternative livelihoods, and a return to war or a life of criminality and banditry offer the most viable way of life. In an attempt to mitigate this threat, Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programmes have become an integral component of peace agreements, implemented across the world from Liberia to Kosovo to Afghanistan. Despite their widespread use, their success has been limited. The consequences of inadequate DDR programmes can impact on the success of peace agreements, stability of states and regions, human development and on crime, security and human security in all contexts. In recent years thinking on DDR has advanced. Where DDR was generally seen as an explicitly military process with a primary focus on short term stability and security, there is now a growing understanding that it is a process that has long term development implications and has to be sustainable. However there remain substantial challenges both at the policy level and in implementation on the ground. ALERT WORKS TO:
COMMUNITY SECURITY
It is accepted that security at the national (or state) level is key in post conflict/settlement contexts. Engagement with state institutions is essential, however this should not be attempted at the exclusion of local and community level security considerations. Security at the local and community level is of equal importance both in and of itself and if programmes for national security are to have any sustainability or traction.
With its partners in civil society, governments and international organisations, International Alert played an important role in At the heart of the issue is the rebuilding of relationships and social structures and this has to be a step by step process, starting from the bottom up. Amongst all the complicated policy and programme development the real goal of the initiatives, improving the security situation for the population at large, is often lost. If individuals and communities don’t see an improvement in their day to day security then they are unlikely to back any national level initiatives. Furthermore without adequate structures and mechanisms in place small scale disputes and conflicts may turn violent and escalate. Amidst the national level programming that takes place there is a need to gain an understanding of the real security challenges and fears faced at the local level and, with the input and participation of those affected, develop programming targeted to address these concerns. We work to ensure that community needs and concerns are heard at the national level and are taken into account in programme planning and implementation. Furthermore we seek to facilitate understanding of these national processes at the local level so that people have an understanding of the decisions and activities that affect them and do not have unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved.
SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS (SALW)Small arms and light weapons - including revolvers, rifles, sub-machine guns and portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns - cause insecurity and human suffering in numerous places across the globe and hamper sustainable development. Removing these weapons and addressing the causes of proliferation are a crucial part of promoting peace and creating safer societies. We have been working on this issue since 1994, when we identified unregulated small arms proliferation and misuse as one of the world’s most pressing security issues. Over the few years Alert has been moving away from focusing on the small arms issue in isolation and now seeks to address the challenges they pose within a more holistic approach to community security, DDR and SSR. To find out more about our original small arms projects in this area, click on the links below:
SMALL ARMS AS A BARRIER TO PEACE
There are currently an estimated 639 million small arms in the global circulation and over 50 percent of these do not belong to governments. These weapons are easily and cheaply obtainable, particularly in zones of conflict, and they have a destructive impact that reaches far beyond their use by armies. Unlike other conventional weapons small arms are held and used by a wide variety of actors including civilians, private security companies, criminals and youth gangs. They fuel conflict, facilitate the use of child soldiers (as they are light enough for them to carry), and are used indiscriminately to kill, injure and intimidate civilians. After war has ended they are used for criminal purposes, violence and as threatening instruments of power, undermining efforts to build lasting peace and development in a devastating way. Small arms are a challenge to which governments and civil society are now responding. A significant number of important international and regional agreements have been signed and communities across the world are looking to develop their own initiatives to tackle the availability and misuse of these weapons. The most significant international agreement on small arms and light weapons is the 2001 UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects. International Alert has three projects that focused on this agreement. These centred on assessing progress made and challenges faced in the implementation of international small arms control measures and also involved working to strengthen the knowledge and expertise of policymakers in understanding and responding to small arms matters. PUBLICATIONS ON SECURITY Security for Whom?: Security Sector Reform and Public Security in Nepal
Author(s): Charlotte Watson with Rebecca Crozier This briefing forms part of the EU-financed Initiative for Peacebuilding (IfP) It aims to connect the public security and SSR agendas in Nepal in order to inform ongoing discussions amongst donors and to explore the role that the EU could play in future security-enhancing activities in Nepal. Download pdf | More Information  National Security Policy-Making and Gender
Author(s): Peter Albrecht and Karen Barnes Download pdf | More Information  Civil Society Oversight of the Security Sector and Gender
Author(s): Karen Barnes and Peter Albrecht Download pdf | More Information  Youth Perspectives on Community Security in the Eastern Terai
Author(s): International Alert Download pdf | More Information  Youth Speak out on Community Security in the Eastern Terai - English
Author(s): Friends for Peace and International Alert Download pdf | More Information |
