National Security Policy-Making and Gender (Tool 8)
Share on Facebook
Share on Linkedin
Share on TwitterAuthors
Peter Albrecht, Karen Barnes
Description
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. What are national security policies?
2.1 A national security policy
2.2 Sector-specific security policies
3. Why is gender important in security policy-making?
3.1 Local ownership through participatory policy-making processes
3.2 Comprehensive security policy that addresses diverse security needs
3.3 Non-discrimination in security policies and security sector institutions
4. How can gender be integrated into security policies?
4.1 National government
4.2 Parliament
4.3 Local government
4.4 Civil society organisations
4.5 Gender training
4.6 Assessment, monitoring and evaluation
5. Integrating gender into national security policy in specific contexts
5.1 Post-conflict countries
5.2 Transitional and developing countries
5.3 Developed countries
6. Key recommendations
7. Additional resources
Abstract
This tool provides an introduction to the benefits and opportunities of integrating gender issues into national-level security policy making.
As strategic documents, security policies are critically important in establishing a coordinated response to security threats, and can serve as a platform for security sector reform (SSR) processes. Ensuring that gender issues are integrated into security policies may increase participation and local ownership, and create policies and institutions that are more likely to effectively and sustainably provide security and justice to men, women, girls and boys on an equitable basis.
The tool is designed to be a resource for staff responsible for initiating security policy-making processes within the executive branch of government, including those responsible for drafting, implementing and evaluating security policies. In addition, the tool may be useful to a variety of other actors involved in security policy-making processes, including parliamentarians and parliamentary staffers, ministerial staff, civil society organisations, municipallevel government, international and regional organisations, and donor countries supporting the development of security policies. The tool includes:
-An introduction to SSR and gender
- The rationale for why integrating gender issues strengthens SSR processes
- Practical ways of integrating gender into SSR policy and programme cycles
- An overview of specific gender and SSR issues in post-conflict, transitional, developing and developed country contexts