Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform (GFN-SSR)

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Topic and Regional Guides

Regional Guides provide an overview of SSR information - including regional Topic Guides, Documents, Events, Organisations and Networks - specific to that region.

Topic guides provide an overview of specific SSR themes, with links to key literature in their respective areas. They aim to present information in a concise, relevant and easily accessible manner, targeted at policymakers and SSR practitioners. GFN-SSR will develop a range of topic guides, ensuring that they are updated regularly to reflect new literature and policy developments.

As a complement to the guides, GFN-SSR have produced a list of commonly used acronyms in SSR.

SSR in Southeast Asia

This topic guide provides an introduction to literature on security sector reform (SSR) in Southeast Asia. It highlights key issues and priority areas in the regions and countries, and identifies relevant regional and country texts that cover a number of security sectors. There is an extensive literature on Southeast Asia on topics which are related both directly and indirectly to SSR. To a large extent, this literature includes an extensive group of works on governance, democratisation and democracy, arms trafficking and proliferation, and civil-military relations, among other related issue areas. This guide provides an introduction to that literature. While not exhaustive, this guide shows the extent to which SSR has been a continuing concern in the region even if it had taken specific forms that were not originally contextualised in terms of SSR.

SSR in Southern Africa

This topic guide provides an introduction to literature on security sector reform (SSR) in Southern Africa. The first selection of literature provides comparative studies and regional texts, which include case studies of various states, but are not specifically devoted to SSR in a particular state. These resources are a good place to start in order to become familiar with the context and state of democratic governance of the security sector in the region. The second part of the topic guide divides the states of the region into groups and details some additional reading per state. Madagascar, Mauritius, Lesotho, Seychelles and Swaziland are not addressed as individual states because of the lack of relevant and current information on SSR that is available on these states. The inclusion of states in this topic guide is based on membership of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

SSR in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe

This topic guide provides an introduction to literature on security sector reform (SSR) in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe, focusing on the Balkans and the Southern Caucasus. It highlights key issues and priority areas in the regions and countries, and identifies relevant regional and country texts that cover a number of security sectors. Research on SSR in the Balkans is fairly extensive. There is less available literature, however, on the Southern Caucasus. As such, there is a greater concentration of resources on the Balkans in this topic guide.

SSR in East Africa

The guide highlights key regional texts and resources that cut across a number of different security sectors and countries. Whilst not exhaustive, this guide provides an indication of the growing literature available on SSR in the region. Texts are selected for their relevance, usefulness and/or recommendations they provide to policymakers involved in improving the region’s security sectors.

SSR in West Africa

This Topic Guide provides an introduction to literature on SSR in West Africa. It highlights key regional texts and resources that cut across a number of different security sectors and countries. Texts are selected for their relevance, usefulness and/or recommendations they provide to policymakers involved in improving the region’s security sectors.

SSR in Latin America and the Caribbean

This Topic Guide highlights key regional texts and resources that cut across a number of security sectors and countries. Because of the size of the region, several broadly representative country case studies from sub-regions have been selected to highlight particular issues of interest. Whilst not exhaustive, this guide gives an indication of the growing literature available on SSR in the region.

Security Sector Reform in the Arab Middle East

Security Sector Reform (SSR) in the Arab Middle East remains a highly sensitive and politicised subject in a region prone to internal and external influences on its security sectors. These influences have a direct impact on global security, making it a pertinent topic for those following developments in the region.

Civil Society and Security

The term ‘civil society’ is often used with imprecision, but is generally understood to encompass areas of activity that take place outside of both the state and the market. It includes a wide range of actors through which citizens can articulate their views and priorities - including non-governmental organisations, grassroots organisations, professional organisations, religious groups, labour organisations and the media.

Conflict

Violent conflict is the subject of this topic guide.  The guide provides an overview of key topics ranging from the causes, dynamics and impacts of conflict to options for interventions to prevent, manage and respond to conflict.

Private Military Companies

There is a huge overlap in the services offered by Private Military and Private Security Companies. This work can include military combat services (offensive and/or defensive) as well as military training and intelligence, and security for commercial interests and/or government interests, close protection of VIPs, risk assessment and risk analyses.

A Beginner’s Guide to Security Sector Reform

What is SSR and how is it defined? How has SSR developed as part of the International Development agenda? What are the core principles and areas of engagement?
As the title suggests, this GFN-SSR document serves as an introduction to SSR and suggests some key sources for further reading.

Security & Development

The inter-relationship between security and development has grown in profile from the early 1990's onwards, as donors and development practitioners have realised that it is impractical to consider development without taking security and conflict issues into account.

  • University of Birmingham
  • Department for International Development

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