RI offers recommendations to the UN Security Council during its discussions on security sector reform.

Refugees International sent the following statement to the UN Security Council on February 16, 2007. For the last week, the Security Council has been discussing an initiative proposed by the Government of Slovakia to establish a coordinated UN approach to security sector reform; an important step towards the sustainable protection of civilians from conflict and violence.

Displacement is often the product of violence and instability, which itself may be the result of weak or corrupted security institutions. Security, as well as the perception of security, is essential for the return of displaced populations to their homes. It is only through an effective, trusted security sector that individual security can be achieved. Refugees International applauds and supports the Government of Slovakia's initiative, highlighting the need for a comprehensive, coherent and coordinated UN approach to security sector reform during its tenure as Security Council President, and urges an increased focus on protection of civilians throughout the policy development process.

The "security sector" of a state dictates, manages, and executes both military security and civilian protection policies. However, many security sector reform efforts have focused primarily on the military side. While the security sector includes core bodies such as the military, police, border guards, customs agents, and other state-sanctioned armed groups, it also encompasses key providers of civilian protection such as lawmakers, human rights agencies, and the judicial system. In a country disrupted by war, many of these important structures have been disrupted, if not destroyed. Security sector reform (SSR) is an essential component of post-conflict reconstruction and development because without a legitimate, functioning security sector, economic and social development cannot move forward.

Regenerating and strengthening of the security sector post-conflict have been issues of UN concern for some time. Modern integrated UN peacekeeping missions incorporate military, political, humanitarian and development actors. Like the more traditional peacekeeping missions, these multidimensional missions still fulfill short-term stabilization and protection duties. But today peacekeepers are also expected to lay the ground work for long-term development and a self-sustaining peace. The weak or corrupted security institutions that make peacekeeping necessary in the first place must be developed into strong, accountable institutions that protect civilians, ensure stability, and create the necessary conditions for lasting peace, security, and rule of law.

Security sector reform is a complex effort that involves high-level policy making, multi-institutional coordination, and the recruitment and training of security forces. The UN integrated peacekeeping structure is potentially well suited to accommodate a comprehensive, coherent, and coordinated approach to SSR. Making SSR planning an integral part of these missions will increase the likelihood that it is addressed throughout the entire lifecycle of the peacebuilding effort. The development of a comprehensive SSR strategy, and the incorporation of that strategy into the existing integrated mission structure, will help the UN to ensure that donor resources for SSR, including funds and expertise, contribute to the comprehensive peacebuilding effort.