Public oversight of the security sector: a handbook for civil society organizations

Governments tend to keep a tight reign on the security sector. Under pretexts of national security - especially in recourse to a ‘war on terror’ - the state’s security apparatus, and actions, are frequently closed to public scrutiny. However, civil society has a very important role to play in ensuring that the security sector is not only law-abiding but also transparent and accountable. This is especially true when there are insufficient public oversight bodies to keep the sector in check.

This handbook aims to provide civil society organizations (CSOs) with the necessary tools to be able to monitor the security sector in a democratic setting. It not only gives guidance on awareness-raising, budget analysis, advocacy training and monitoring but also offers specific recommendations for CSOs on:

• gender and democratic security governance
  
• human rights and security sector oversight
  
• legal assistance and legal reform
  
• forging alliances with the international community
  
• states of emergency and restrictive environments
  
• sector oversight, violent conflict and peacebuilding.