Public oversight of the security sector: a handbook for civil society organizations

This resource handbook for grassroots organizations aims to help them monitor governmental security agencies. Chapter 14 specifically assesses the role that civil society can play in overseeing the security sector in states of emergency resulting from natural disasters or health epidemics.

The handbook for civil society organizations on public oversight of the security sector provides structured guidance for civil society organizations (CSOs) on the role they can play in democratic security sector oversight: principally, how they can plan, structure and implement their activities in an informed and efficient manner. It collects experiences from around the world and formulates practical guidance for civil society on how to help make the security sector not only law-abiding but also transparent and accountable to society.

This handbook is the third product of the UNDP-DCAF ‘Democratising Security’ series and is designed primarily for civil society and non-governmental organizations. However, with its overview of conceptual and practical considerations on oversight aspects that lend themselves for civil society involvement it is also relevant to democratic institutions and representatives, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, security sector institutions, the media, as well as regional and international organizations partnering with CSOs on public oversight of the security sector.