The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In operating with other federal offices concerned, SDC is responsible for the overall coordination of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as for the humanitarian aid delivered by the Swiss Confederation.
Mapping of SSR Activities within the Swiss Government
Switzerland has committed itself to strengthening its engagement in the field of Security Sector Reform (SSR). In order to increase its involvement in SSR activities, the Swiss Government had to ensure that its personnel have a common and coherent understanding of and approach to SSR, as well as identify what SSR-related activities were being undertaken at the time. ISSAT was requested to provide the technical capacity/knowledge and human resources to undertake the mapping.
ISSAT was mandated to map existing SSR and SSR-related Projects and Programmes within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE), including the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Political Division IV (PD IV Human Security), and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS).
The purpose of mapping SSR/SSR-related projects and programmes within the Partners was to identify ways in which Switzerland supported SSR and provide recommendations on how to enhance this support. The mapping was to:
- Increase understanding of the mandates, projects and programmes undertaken by the Swiss government that include SSR components
- Support a common & coherent understanding of SSR, international obligations and good practice in SSR,
- Support a common Whole-of-Government approach to SSR by the Swiss Government.
Justice and Security Sector Reform Training for the African Development Bank
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has requested ISSAT support for a training/workshop on Development, Justice and Security Sector Reform (JSSR) to be organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for its personnel.
The 3 day training aimed to build capacity within the African Development Bank and to gain a better understanding of JSSR and its role in helping to create a conducive environment for broader, long-term development.
The main objective was to offer an overview of the key JSSR policies, principles and actors. The course also dealt with the highly political nature of JSSR, highlight some of its key challenges on the ground and propose some solutions. Key topics covered included: Introduction to the concept of JSSR; mapping the justice and security sector; Gender and SSR; programming for SSR in fragile and post-conflict states, and the role of non-state actors in JSSR.
Mapping of SSR Activities within the Swiss Government
Switzerland has committed itself to strengthening its engagement in the field of Security Sector Reform (SSR). In order to increase its involvement in SSR activities, the Swiss Government must both ensure that its personnel have a common and coherent understanding of and approach to SSR, as well as identifying fully what SSR-related activities are currently being undertaken by the Swiss Government.
ISSAT was requested to provide the technical capacity/knowledge and human resources to undertake the mapping.
ISSAT is mandated to map existing SSR and SSR-related Projects and Programmes within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE), including the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Political Division IV (PD IV Human Security), and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS).
The purpose of mapping SSR/SSR-related projects and programmes within the Partners is to identify ways in which Switzerland supports SSR and provide recommendations on how to enhance this support. The mapping will:
- Increase understanding of the mandates, projects and programmes currently undertaken by the Swiss government that include SSR components
- Support a common & coherent understanding of SSR, international obligations and good practice in SSR
- Support a common Whole of Government approach to SSR by the Swiss Government.
Backstopping Missions to Honduras in Support of SDC - CONTINUATION OF MANDATE
ISSAT/DCAF has been mandated by SDC to provide support to their office in Honduras for the Swiss new Cooperation Strategy for Central America 2013-2017. This support will be provided in the form of backstopping in the areas of security sector reform, conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity
Backstopping Missions to Honduras in Support of SDC
ISSAT/DCAF has been mandated by SDC to provide support to their office in Honduras for the Swiss new Cooperation Strategy for Central America 2013-2017. This support will be provided in the form of backstopping in the areas of security sector reform, conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity.
Scoping Mission to Honduras in Support of SDC
ISSAT/DCAF has been mandated by SDC to provide support to their office in Honduras for the Swiss new Cooperation Strategy for Central America 2013-2017. This support will be provided in the form of backstopping in the areas of security sector reform, conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity.
As a first step to fulfilling the mandate, ISSAT will undertake a scoping mission to Honduras. The purpose of the scoping mission is to:
a) Assess SDC’s backstopping needs given the internal and external opportunities and challenges presented to Switzerland’s development cooperation with Honduras in the areas of security sector reform, conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity;
b) Provide a qualified foundation for the drafting of a three-year backstopping contract between SDC and DCAF/ISSAT with partners.
Following a brief desk review phase, two ISSAT advisors will undertake a ten-day field mission (18 Feb – 01 Mar) to undertake a light assessment.
The assessment will primarily be based on the study of existing documents, interviews, one field trip to a community and different types of workshops. For the latter, the methodology of “interactive analysis”[1] of armed violence/conflict will be used as well as participatory mapping exercises.
[1] These types of workshops, interactive analysis, have been used my DCAF/ISSAT and partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America to gather expert groups and extract sharp analysis, conclusions and recommendations in a very cost effective, or efficient, way.
Support to developing IDB risk mitigation guidelines for Justice and Citizen Security programming
Switzerland has requested ISSAT to support the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in their process of developing human rights risk mitigation guidelines.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has been involved in citizen security projects for almost two decades, in response to the clear and significant impacts that poor levels of citizen security and justice provision have on economic outcomes. Despite these long term citizen security efforts, the IDB has not yet completely integrated these projects into country and regional approaches, and has faced challenges in developing the required knowledge, expertise, and risk management processes to support such programming. A 2014 evaluation of the IDB’s citizen security remit concluded that one of the key elements of sustaining competitive advantage in citizen security was the development and implementation of risk mitigation guidelines.
Switzerland is a strong supporter of the work of the IDB in Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular in Honduras where SDC is working with the IDB through its programme Integrated Security Sector Reform and Violence Prevention in Honduras.
Backstopping Support to SDC Honduras (2016-18)
ISSAT/DCAF has been mandated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to continue providing support to their office in Honduras for Phase 2 (2016-2017) of their programme Integrated Security Sector Reform and Violence Prevention in Honduras. The main goals of the programme were: improved effectiveness of the National Police, greater proportion of committed crimes are investigated and sanctioned, and improved local citizen security and peaceful co-existence. The target audience of the programme included the Secretary of Security, the National Police, Police training and integrity institutions, and 3-5 local municipalities with high indices of violence crime.
Backstopping to SDC continued in the areas of justice and security sector reform, policy dialogue in the program steering mechanism, and in liaising with other donors. As well as advising and supporting SDC in incorporating security, conflict and peace in other parts of SDC’s development program using conflict sensitive program management and related analysis.
The support also helped identify programme entry points for issues regarding human rights, youth opportunities/social prevention and democratic governance. In this regard, support to the SDC focused on their Chairing the Donor Group on JSSR and Human Rights (MSJDH) in Honduras in 2016 and their capacity to offer more tools for strategic orientation to the Donor Group in accordance with international norms.
Policy and Research Papers
Rule of Law, Justice Sector Reforms and Development Cooperation
Like other donors, SDC has dealt with rule of law issues for years. In several countries, SDC supports judicial reform and the improvement of the legal framework for economic and social development. This concept paper aims to provide information and guidance to SDC’s staff and partners at headquarters and in partner countries. The concept paper begins by identifying the essential elements of the rule of law. Although there is no internationally accepted definition of the rule of law, key elements generally include: non-discrimination and equality before the law, the hierarchy of norms, and the substantive coherence of the legal framework, the government is bound by law, the separation of powers, the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, and respect for human rights.
The rule of law is interlinked with other concepts used in international cooperation: the rule of law is a means to realize human rights and gender equality, a key element for good governance, decentralization, poverty reduction, economic development, and peace building. Depending on these different perspectives, the concept is multicoloured, and it results in different and sometimes even conflicting approaches to and priorities for legal and judicial reforms. SDC will use the rule of law concept as a means to realize human rights, and implement its principles with flexibility, taking into account the relevant context, and potential entry points for cooperation.
Part two of this concept paper looks at the growing trend to include the rule of law dimension in legal and judicial reform projects. The performance of judicial institutions depends not just on operational efficiency, but also on their accessibility to vulnerable groups and effectiveness in realizing human rights. Justice sector reforms are increasingly seen from a systemic perspective, as a series of interconnected institutions and procedures to be analysed and improved. Moreover, legal and judicial systems are not restricted to formal, “modern” laws and institutions: they include informal and traditional law and procedures.
Part three provides illustrative examples of SDC’s engagement and experience involving the rule of law dimension both in legal and judicial reform and in other areas of development cooperation. The examples show that the legal dimension of development can be addressed in a variety of contexts and manners with different partners and entry points.
Other Documents
Newsletter Amérique Latine 2/2015 | Direction du Développement et de la Coopération (DDC): Le Programme de la DDC pour les Droits de l'Homme au Hon...
Aujourd'hui au Honduras, la violence constitue un frein au développement social du pays. Comment la DDC a-telle réagi à cette situation ? Des efforts entrepris depuis 2011 en collaboration avec le Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement (PNUD) visent à renforcer les droits de l’homme à différents échelons de l’Etat et de la société. Le programme a posé les bases pour l’ouverture d’un bureau du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux Droits de l’Homme à Honduras. Financé en grande partie par la DDC, celui-ci entamera ses activités en 2015.