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"Rule of Law"
Program Materials
Access to justice is identified as a core element of rule of law, alongside clear and consistent rules and principles for the application of laws that uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, and the law’s application to all through functional systems of checks and balances. Knowing how different formal and informal aspects of the domestic justice system work, what their pros and cons are, and how to engage the various mechanisms one can choose from are significant contributors in and of themselves to citizen security. In this webinar, panelists will clearly articulate and offer examples from multiple countries that illustrate the ways that expanding citizens’ access to justice (through domestic courts and alternative dispute resolution) can mitigate drivers of insecurity and enhance the security sector’s fulfillment of its duties to the people.
Program Materials
This webinar will provide a forum for African experts to explore the strengths and weaknesses of security sector oversight by a range of formal institutions internal to the state that are designed and committed to bolstering democratic and civilian control of the security sector.
Program
The Africa Center’s rule of law and security sector governance portfolio seeks to provide a trusted platform for senior-level African security and justice professionals, African parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, as well as alumni from civil society and academia, to share information, experiences, and practical ideas about these multiple aspects of rule of law, how they influence citizen security, and what successes and challenges security officials and oversight actors are likely to encounter in their work to enhance the rule of law in African security and defense sectors.
Program Materials
This webinar addresses the strategic interests that African security sector leaders have to make rule of law part of their plans, projects, and day-to-day work, both within security sector institutions and vis-à-vis the populations they serve. It discusses several core elements of rule of law to clarify what it is in principle and as a process. It examines how integrating rule of law into efforts to counter security threats—whether from violent extremism, conflict, and transnational organized crime, and across land, maritime, and cyber domains—can enhance the security sector’s effectiveness in the long run.
Spotlight
published by Catherine Lena Kelly
on May 25, 2021
The integration of justice initiatives within conventional security efforts can mitigate conflict, improve societal resilience, and build a stronger culture supportive of the rule of law.
Spotlight
published by Godfrey Musila
on May 29, 2018
The rule of law is integral to the future stability of South Sudan. While the rule of law will be shaped by the broader political context in South Sudan, spreading the reach of informal courts into the country’s ungoverned spaces will be a vital component of any stability scenario.
Program Materials
An academic program for West African parliamentarians, their staff, and select defense and security officials to analyze current trends, challenges, and innovations in the work of legislatures to foster democratic and civilian control of the security sector.
Infographic
published by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies
on October 24, 2023
Term limit evasions are at the root of a host of governance dysfunctions in Africa and are linked to higher levels of autocracy, corruption, conflict, and propensity for coups.
Program Materials
A webinar on the strategic significance of bolstering civilian oversight of the security sector. African experts will share knowledge, experiences, and practical tools/techniques for enhancing civilian oversight of various parts of the security sector, and reflect on innovative ways forward.
Africa Security Brief No. 42
published by Dan Kuwali
on September 11, 2023
Oversight, accountability, and governance of the security sector are essential ingredients to a capable and effective force, mitigating infractions and contributing to a learning environment that improves future practices.
Spotlight
published by Joseph Siegle
on July 21, 2023
The Russia-Africa Summit provides a stage for Russia to elevate its geostrategic posture despite the instability its irregular tactics are creating in Africa.
Program Materials
A virtual academic program on the development and implementation of national security strategy in Africa. This program will provide a forum for a multidisciplinary group of senior officials to explore National Security Strategy Development (NSSD) concepts and processes.