Ensuring that national security sectors are well governed, subject to civilian oversight, and respectful of human rights and the rule of law is essential to supporting the realization of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, as envisioned under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.

Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) provide a snapshot of experiences and progress made towards implementation of the SDGs, and thus constitute a valuable record of actionable policies and measures.

With that in mind, this study entailed a systematic content analysis of 2016–2019 VNRs, undertaken with the aim to better understand whether these reviews reference Security Sector Governance and Reform (SSG/R).

Additionally, it sought to identify empirical examples of SSG/R in the VNRs, and assess whether these reviews referenced the oversight role of parliaments vis-à-vis the security sector.