What international norms and principles exist for security sector reform and governance? Where are the gaps and which norms need further development? This study from the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) assesses the norms established by a range of intergovernmental organisations (IGOs). It argues that for the SSR agenda to move forward, it is vital to develop a common set of standards and best practices, to which the SSR-relevant IGOs and other actors subscribe.
International norms shape and are shaped by the international system. Norms affect state behaviour by providing solutions to coordination problems, reducing transaction costs, providing a language and grammar of international politics. In addition to their role at the international level, norms have an impact on the domestic policies implemented by states. IGOs play an important role as an instrument for norm-setting in international relations. A number of other actors such as states, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the media can also play a significant part in norm creation, especially of ‘soft’ norms.
Difficulties related to the implementation of SSR norms stem from the fact that overall agreement across IGOs on a uniform body of norms does not yet exist. Some ‘norms’ are still vague and need to be further tested in the field.
- Only one IGO has developed comprehensive norms dealing with each security sector actor and their functions.
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Council of Europe (CoE) and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have taken the most comprehensive approaches to norm development.
- The most detailed norms developed to date concern the military, police and law-enforcement bodies.
- Norms governing the behaviour of the executive, parliament, judiciary and civil society vis-à-vis the security sector remain underdeveloped.
- There are relatively few norms defining the role of intelligence services, border guards, private military companies (PMCs), private security companies (PSCs) and other non-state groups within the security sector and regulating their behaviour.
- There are no norms in the SSR context concerning such security sector actors as political parties, the business community and other non-state actors.
Given the fact that IGOs tend to specialise in developing particular norms and given the gaps that have been identified, it is likely that IGOs will need to continue to cooperate in the development, transfer and sharing of norms developed by individual IGOs.
- The central challenge is the implementation of norms. There remains a considerable gap between the declared norms and their integration into programme design and delivery.
- The way in which the norms are put into practice will determine their viability.
- Practical implementation will lead to the erosion of some norms and the development of new ones that will further guide the SSR process in various countries and contexts.
