As part of the European Union’s integrated approach to civilian security sector reform, EUAM Iraq hosted the civil society platform “Security Oversight, Transparency and Accountability”.
The event, held on 28 March at the Al Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad, involved participants from a wide range of organisations and offered a forum for in-depth discussions on the topic.
Security Sector Reform is a process of transformation. It brings opportunities - and responsibilities - to create more inclusive and less discriminatory security sector institutions. Equally, for security services to be representative, trusted, and effective, they must include women as well as men.
While Security Sector Reform can be defined in several ways, there is an emerging consensus on a governance-based approach that defines the security sector as comprising all state institutions and other entities with a role in ensuring the security of the state and its people.
Security Sector Reform allies itself with the aims of a “human security” approach - by keeping the focus on individuals and communities, distinct from the state, as the ultimate beneficiaries, and by stressing the potentially important roles of civil society groups in both oversight and security provision. Anchoring Security Sector Reform in the values of human security in turn helps to ensure that Security Sector Reform does in fact address the needs of the entire population, including women, girls, boys and men.
Central to the platform event were the round table discussions producing lively and fruitful conversations. During break-out sessions the participants had the opportunity to discuss with each other security oversight, transparency, and accountability in round tables concentrating on human rights, information, and integrity. The participants shared their experiences and discussed different successful and non-successful approaches to civil society involvement to further develop effective relationships between civil society and government.
Furthermore, on the importance to include civil society in security oversight, transparency and accountability, the event participants commented as follows:
Dr. Ali Akram Al Bayati, High Commission for Human Rights Iraq:
"When we are talking about a newly developing democratic system, like the Iraqi case, where there are great challenges, especially in the security sector, and since the nature of governmental institutions needs a lot of time to meet the requirements of the system and human rights, we must involve civil society as much as possible in any process of strengthening democracy, rule of law and human rights. We cannot imagine a democratic system and human rights without an effective and real society that participates in decision-making and contributes to it.”
Dr. Ahmed Kataw, National Diversity Organisation:
"The role of civil society is very important in carrying out some duties that relate directly with citizens as horizontal work and at the same time working with government institutions as a vertical work."
The event was attended by representatives of human rights organisations, minority organisations, women’s organisations, youth organisations, clergy, the High Commission for Human Rights, the Ministry of Interior, NATO Mission Iraq, and various embassies.
All in all, a thorough reform of Iraq’s security sector will be critical for long-term stability in Iraq. EUAM Iraq will continue in its efforts to engage civil society, government representatives, and international partners in future events.
