Supporting Democratic Approaches to Security Governance

Over the last several years, we have seen an increase in security sector abuses across the globe. These abuses have emanated from overzealous and unaccountable security forces—at home and abroad—military leaders usurping authority, and elites manipulating a state’s justice and security capabilities to amass power and wealth. At the same time, the US government and its development partners have sought to create a more holistic approach to addressing fragile states and reducing conflicts, which may further violent extremism.

This session will convene civic leaders and government officials representing the US, countries receiving security assistance, and donor countries to focus on rethinking security sector assistance as a component of meaningful democratic development, leading to greater safety and more peace for citizens. We seek to elevate best practices in security assistance, elevate local voices pushing for change, and help advance a global architecture for security sector assistance built on more effective, democratic principles.