SECURITY FOR ALL

Security concerns us all. We all – men and women, boys and girls – need to be and feel secure. Without security, there is no development, stability and innovation. The term security is often primarily understood as focusing on security forces, armed conflict, and military technology. But security is much more than that. There are many factors that put humans in insecure situations. Limited access to basic needs (e.g. food, water, energy); unequal political, social and economic participation of all parts of the society; violent extremism; and climate change are relevant examples in that regard.

 

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND SECURITY

Inclusive and sustainable security focuses on all interlinked factors causing insecurity. Good governance is key in achieving an environment that fosters prosperity, well-being and the rule of law. But security is not only a matter for executive authorities and the security forces. It needs the input of those concerned: all of us. Civil society, the media, local government structures, and judicial institutions must be involved in strategic thinking and decision-making. Women, men, girls and boys have different security needs. Inclusive and sustainable security understands these needs and responds to them. Efficient security institutions work for the whole society, based on clear legal frameworks.

 

WE COVER THE FOLLOWING THEMATIC AREAS:

Security sector reform (SSR)

Security sector reform can only be successful when all parts of a society are involved in its reform. We offer in-depth research on security sectors and substantive programming expertise to develop effective and efficient security sector reform interventions on the ground. Our security needs assessments and dialogue interventions aim to ensure that citizens and civil society contribute effectively to security sector reform.

Good governance

Good governance encompasses transparency, responsibility, accountability, participation and responsiveness to the needs of citizens. It is fundamental to political stability, security and economic growth. We offer project design and implementation for interventions targeting more accountable and participatory security and governance structures.

PVE / CVE

Threats from violent extremism and terrorism have increased in recent years. Groups engaged in violent extremism often exploit religious beliefs, ethnic differences and political ideologies to legitimise their actions and to recruit followers. We support research on drivers and causes of extremist violence and analyse the potential effectiveness and impacts of counter-terrorism strategies. We also provide programming advise for projects on the prevention of radicalisation.

Women, peace and security

Women and children are often more directly affected by conflict and violence, while having less influence on the provision of security and justice services. To achieve more inclusive security, women need to be involved to the same extent as men. We conduct research on the effects of conflict on women and their particular security needs and concerns. We also offer capacity-building and advice on how to reach gender equality in security sectors.

SDG 16

Sustainable Development Goal 16 aims at promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. We provide training on the importance of SDG 16 for the Agenda 2030 and examples of good practices in the field.

Police and policing reform

Citizens largely depend on professional and effective policing to feel safe and protected. Police and policing reform aims to improve the quality of policing services and to professionalise the police force. We support these reform efforts through qualitative programming support, especially for community policing projects.

Peacebuilding

To build long-lasting peace, it is crucial to, first, understand why people fight in the first place and, second, to support societies to manage their differences and thus preventing them to (re-)engage in conflict. We offer sound analysis of the root-causes of conflicts and their effects and work on effective instruments and for sustainable peacebuilding projects.

Policy advice and development

Complex questions of peace and conflict require high-quality expertise. In order to develop well-drafted policies, sound and tailor-made policy advice is fundamental. This requires asking the right questions. We offer policy advice and development on citizen-oriented security and peacebuilding.