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SSR Resource Centre
Best of 2015 - SSR Resource Centre blog Top 5 articles (+1)
As part of our #YearInReview, this article highlights the best and most popular contributions to our SSR Resource Centre blog published in 2015. It provides a good overview of key trends, issues and events related to security sector reform and security governance in fragile and conflict-affected countries in 2015. Read and Share!
Best of 2015 - Academic Spotlight series Top 5 articles
Started in 2015, the Academic Spotlight blog series features recent research findings on security sector reform and security governance published in international relations academic journals. It provides a venue to promote discussion within the academic-policy nexus and develop opportunities to share and exchange on key SSR issues and themes. The blog posts published in this series summarize new research findings and build on recent developments on 2nd generation SSR and doing security & justice differently. They help shape the debates on security sector reform in fragile and conflict-affected countries and are a great way to maximize the impact of academic research and to reach a wider policy community.
As part of our #YearInReview, this article highlights the best and most popular contributions to this new series. It provides a good overview of key trends in research on security sector reform and security governance published this year. Read and Share!
News
Cameroonian Security Service Abuses in Boko Haram Fight
Poorly trained and under equipped, the Cameroonian military is facing accusations of misconduct while fighting Boko Haram. – John Campbell, Council on Foreign Relations
UN: Over 700 Rwandan FDLR Rebels Surrendered in 2015
The head of MONUSCO’s disarmament, demobilization and reintegration section mentioned at a news conference that ‘710 FDLR members have been disarmed and demobilized, of whom 315 were children’ in 2015. – Nick Long, Voice of America
Rwanda National Police embarks on environmental policing
The Rwanda National Police will reinforce and empower its Environmental Protection Unit to combat environmental-related crimes. – Rwanda National Police
Nigerian president: we have firm evidence of oil corruption
Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari discussed the state of oil corruption in the country, saying that that “mind-boggling” sums of money had been stolen. – The Guardian
The Worst Corruption Scandals of 2015
This article summarizes the worst corruption scandals of 2015, including several highlighted frequently in the SSR Weekly: in Nigeria, Honduras and Guatemala. -Siobhan O’Grady, Foreign Policy
Ukraine’s PM Yatsenyuk lays out 2016 goals in annual New Year speech
Ukraine’s Prime Minister laid out plans for judicial reform in 2016 as part of annual New Year speech: “As for the judicial reforms, we must recognize that during the previous two years, nothing has changed. My position has been and remains – we must replace all the 9,000 judges and we must not carry out just cosmetic reform. Next year, judicial reform will be a national priority.” – Ukraine Today
China rolls out reforms of controversial security force
China will implement reforms aimed at improving transparency and increasing oversight, as well as the overall quality, of a controversial category of security officials who work with police forces to enforce minor city rules and regulations. - Reuters
Analysis
Fuelled by corruption, South Sudan war enters third year
This article analyzes the state of corruption in South Sudan, describing the country as ‘corrupt from top to bottom’. As a possible way forward, NGOs and analysts argue that the implementation of the peace deal is a key element. - Karin Zeitvogel, IRIN
Thailand | Police image taints ruling
Following the ruling that found two Myanmar migrant workers guilty over the murders of two British tourists in September last year, this editorial argues that the government should attempt to reform the police’s poor image even though this is ‘a process that will take strong political will to materialize.’ – Bangkok Post
India | Police Reforms: Rejuvenate and Transform the Police
The author, a former DGP of Uttar Pradesh and the Border Security Force, provides recommendations to create a professional, well-trained and equipped, and a motivated police force. – Prakash Singh, Business Today India
InSight Crime Game Changers 2015 - The Year of Corruption and Organized Crime
This fascinating analysis by Insight Crime highlights the main trends, events and game changing developments in Latin America related to government corruption, organized crime and security governance in 2015. – Steven Dudley and Jeremy McDermott, Insight Crime
This article analyzes some of the key challenges across the African continent in 2016. Related to security & justice governance, the author mentions the anti-corruption campaign in Nigeria and instability in the Sahel. – John Campbell, Council on Foreign Relations
The problem with Ukrainian police reform
Erica Marat argues that despite its initial success, police reform in Ukraine might face significant challenges in the near future. The author argues that the problem lies in a ‘police reform process [`that] has been opaque and top-down, led by a few powerful officials with little input from civil society.’ – Erica Marat, Foreign Policy
Are Egyptian police officers duly punished for torture?
This article analyzes the state of policing, police reform and related human rights issues – including police brutality and torture – in Egypt. – Sonia Farid, Al-Arabiya
Publications
Political Leadership and National Ownership of Security Sector Reform Processes
New Publication! ISSAT-DCAF has published a new tool for SSR practitioners and government officials. This Tool 1 of the Toolkit for Security Sector Reform and Governance in West Africa ‘addresses political will and national ownership, fundamental requirements of SSR processes.’
Rethinking DDR and Violence Reduction Interventions
Stability: International Journal of Security & Development has launched a new special collection on DDR in December. The articles of this special issue provide deeper understanding of specific kinds of armed actors and contribute to discussions that pertain to the second generation DDR.
Towards a Rule of Law Culture: Exploring Effective Responses to Justice and Security Challenges
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) published a new practical guide, in English, Arabic and French, on rule of law reform. This guide is intended for mid- and senior-level justice sector stakeholders as a complementary resource to the course “Toward a Rule of Law Culture”. The goal is to ‘emphasize the practical application of rule of law knowledge and skills in order to develop concrete plans for action to strengthen the rule of law in any context.’
Asian Perspectives on Civil-Military-Police Relations and Coordination in Disaster Management
This new report from the Australian Civil-Military Centre ‘explores the historical evolution of civil-military-police relations in Asia and the role that the military plays in Asian societies today in relation to disaster response. It focuses on how military and police actors mandated to respond in natural disasters interact with established response structures such as national/regional/local disaster management agencies along with the international humanitarian system.’
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