After many decades of reform efforts and capacity-building, the delivery of public services in most sub-Saharan African states remains in crisis. Yet explanations of this failure which focus on failure of implementation, continued overstaffing, lack of political will or the inherent problems of ‘neo-patrimonialism’ are unconvincing. In fact the key problems of African public ...» more
Library
This e-library contains more than 4500 external publications on governance, social development, conflict and humanitarian issues. It includes academic and grey literature selected for its basis in good quality research and coverage of a range of perspectives. Policy-oriented summaries of each document are provided, plus links to the full text.
The Complexity of Violence: A critical analysis of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The report is part of, and emerges from, a research project financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) on gender and sexuality within the Congolese armed forces (Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo, FARDC). Hence, the report focuses particularly on the sexual violence committed by the (newly) integrated state security forces, ...» more
Shrinking Humanitarian Space? Trends and Prospects on Security and Access
This article examines the meaning of ‘humanitarian space’ and the evidence for the claim that this space is shrinking due to decreasing respect for humanitarian law, increasing attacks on humanitarian workers and declining access to populations at risk. It finds that the notion of humanitarian space embodies a series of assumptions that together imply an inexorable decline in ...» more
Mind the gap: Documenting and explaining violence against aid workers
This article reviews the prevailing explanations, assumptions, and research on why humanitarian actors experience security threats. It argues that one stream of the academic literature focuses on documenting violence against aid workers — a proximate cause approach — while a second proposes explanations, or deep causes, often without empirical evidence. Moreover, the deep cause ...» more
The Politics of Women’s Representation in Sudan: Debating Women’s Rights in Islam from the Elites to the Grassroots
The problem inherent in the international discourse on gender and peace building is that it presupposes a common agenda among all women across religion, ethnicity and class in any given post-conflict situation. The existing literature seems to express the belief that as long as women are included in political decision-making institutions, their representation will ensure that ...» more
Civic Education and Peacebuilding: Examples from Iraq and Sudan
Between 2006 and 2010, the United States Institute of Peace developed several civic education programs for Iraq and Sudan as part of broader efforts to promote postconflict stability and development and help prevent a return to violence. This report describes those programs after first examining the conceptual bases for civic education and how they differ from and overlap with ...» more
Diversity in Donorship: Field Lessons
Non-western governments, which are not members of the development assistance committee (DAC) of the OECD, accounted for 12% of humanitarian financing for any given year between 1999 and 2004. In this study, the Humanitarian Policy Group of the Overseas Development Institute examines how these donors operate in the field. The study examines three emergency responses: the South ...» more
Integrating gender equality dimensions into public financial management reforms
This Issues Brief is on the integration of a gender equality perspective into public financial management (PFM) in partner countries. It suggests ways of using the techniques of gender-responsive budgeting (GRB). The Brief makes the case that gender responsive budgeting:is a form of financial management that seeks to ensure an efficient allocation of resources based on the ...» more
Gender-Sensitive and Child-Friendly Budgeting in Zimbabwe
This chapter (from a World Bank collection on social accountability initiatives in Africa) seeks to flag lessons (context, processes, and results) for possible replication and further study from two social accountability initiatives in Zimbabwe: (1) the Child-Friendly National Budget Initiative being coordinated by the National Association of Non Governmental Organisations ...» more
UNDP-OHCHR Toolkit for collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions
National human rights institutions (NHRIs) are institutions with a legal mandate to protect and promote human rights. They are new and unusual institutions: part of the state, but not part of the executive, legislative or judicial branches. Their importance has been highlighted by the UN secretary general. This toolkit is intended primarily to support United Nations Country ...» more
Human Rights Commissions in Times of Trouble and Transition: The Case of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal
This paper considers the emergence and continued existence of a national human rights commission during periods of severe political instability and sustained human rights violations. It explores the capacity of the Nepal Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to effectively contribute to the implementation of a peace process, in a politically volatile and often rights-hostile ...» more
The State of the Humanitarian System report: Assessing Performance and Progress – A Pilot Study
The report provides a system-level mapping and assessment of the operational performance of the international humanitarian system. It represents a pilot effort to broadly assess the ‘state of the system’. Focusing on emergencies for which an appeal for international assistance was made and in which international aid agencies were involved, the review examined three main ...» more
Serbian National Security and Defence Strategy: Forever Wandering in the Wilderness?
What led to the failure of Serbia's attempt at security reform, begun in 2007? How can the Euro-Atlantic security community help Serbia to overcome its now incoherent and isolationist security stance? This article examines the political and policy-making processes that led to the adoption of the Serbian National Security and Defence strategies in 2009. It finds that attempted ...» more
Spheres of Military Autonomy under Democratic Rule: Implications and Prospects for Security Sector Transformation (SST) in the Philippines
How does strong military autonomy affect security sector governance and its reform? What does the experience of Security Sector Transformation (SST) in the Philippines reveal about military resistance to reform? This paper finds that the Philippine military's influence over security policy has led to a narrow interpretation of SST as military reform and to the adoption of laws ...» more
Security Sector Reform and Donor Assistance in Serbia 2000-2010
What is the role of external donor assistance in Serbian security sector reform (SSR)? How can such assistance be improved? This paper examines defence and police reform in Serbia and finds that the country is still stuck in the 'first phase' of the SSR process. A lack of direction and lack of capacity have affected both domestic Serbian and international reform efforts. Donors ...» more
The Stockholm Programme and the Police Reform Strategy: A ‘Step Forward’ in the Police Reform in Serbia
This paper finds that the lack of a strategic approach to police reform in Serbia hinders both police reform and Serbian integration into Europe. The Stockholm Programme, a five-year European Union strategic plan for building and preserving the European Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, could be used as a starting point for a Serbian police reform strategy. The Stockholm ...» more
International Donors and the Reform of Indonesian National Police
How best can police forces be reformed after conflict? This study examines the separation of the Indonesian National Police (INP) from the military (TNI) in Indonesia and efforts by countries including the US, the Netherlands and Japan to contribute to the process. It argues that Indonesia shows how outside intervention can have a positive impact on post-conflict police ...» more
The KLA and the Kosovo War
What were the factors in the Kosovan conflict that eventually led to Kosovo's declaration of independence as a sovereign state? This case study analyses the role of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the conflict, the emergence of Kosovo as a sovereign nation, and how the KLA and its members made the transition to peacetime roles. Unlike other resistance movements, whose ...» more
The Myanmar Elections
Will the forthcoming elections in Myanmar (Burma) herald real change for the country? This briefing updates an earlier assessment in 2009 and analyses the 2010 electoral legislation, the impact of the elections on ethnic tension, and the impact of privatisation of public assets on Myanmar's political economy. The first elections in twenty years will not bring genuine ...» more
Justice Reform in Mexico: Change and Challenges in the Judicial Sector
What judicial reforms is Mexico embarking on? What must happen to create a more democratic rule of law for the country by 2016? This paper explains Mexico's justice sector challenges and proposed reforms. Mexico is currently suffering a public security crisis. In 2008 Congress approved reforms that touch virtually all aspects of the judicial sector. Reform will require time, ...» more
