08May2014

New DCAF's guidance notes on gender and security sector oversight

How can a police service ensure that attention to gender is embedded in all its internal systems and processes? How can armed forces monitor their success in providing equal opportunities for men and women, and tackling sexual harassment and abuse? How can ombuds institutions and national human rights institutions proactively investigate gender-related problems in the security sector? – These are some of the questions addressed in new DCAF guidance notes on integrating gender into security sector oversight.

Integrating Gender into Internal Police Oversight, Integrating a Gender Perspective into Internal Oversight within Armed Forces, Integrating Gender into Oversight of the Security Sector by Ombuds Institutions & National Human Rights Institutions, all developed by DCAF, OSCE/ODIHR and the OSCE Gender Section, are practical resources for police services, armed forces, and for ombuds institutions and NHRIs, as well as for those who manage and support them.

The first two publications can help police service and armed forces to move beyond a policy commitment to integrate gender  ̶  by designating responsibilities for gender, by monitoring how gender issues are addressed in human resource management and in operations, and by strengthening prevention and respond to sexual harassment and discrimination.

Third publication, designed for ombuds institutions and NHRIs, can help these institutions to engage more effectively with police, militaries and other security sector institutions to monitor and reinforce how the human rights of men and women working there are upheld. It can strengthen oversight of how well police and others meet the needs of communities.