Category: Security

The EU and peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This paper, the EU and peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is published as part of a series of Civil Society Dialogue Network discussion papers by the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office. In it, I reflect on the EU’s trackrecord in contributing to peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly...

Transitional justice and peace mediation

In these short videos onTransitional justice and peace mediation for the Peace Mediation Platform, I discuss the Peace and Justice Debate, Addressing justice questions in peace processes, Gender Inclusive Transitional Justice and Universal Laws and Norms in Peace Processes...

The Perils of Euphemism: #SSR in #DRC

In this post for the Security Sector Reform Resource Centre I argue that the contextual, structural, and political challenges to SSR point to the perils of euphemism. Peace and sustainable development in Congo require a security system that protects public safety. This does not require ‘reform’ of the existing system, but...

Power shared and justice shelved: the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Global Accord (2002) ended the Congo War, contributed to the creation of the Third Republic and influenced subsequent peace agreements. This article (in the International Journal of Human Rights, 2013, Vol. 17, No. 2, 289–306) analyses how justice for human rights violations was included in the Global Accord and later...

Transitional justice & security system reform

Reforming the security system in postconflict environments to ensure security agents become protectors of the population is vital for peacebuilding and state-building. Justice-sensitive SSR aims to prevent recurrence and repetition of human rights violations by reforming abusive institutions, increasing their integrity, accountability and legitimacy, and transforming the institution’s role...

Justice-sensitive SSR in DR Congo (2009)

The Congolese security system is incapable of defending the state and the state’s authority, and poses a serious threat to the population, particularly to women and children. Impunity within the security system allows serious human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, to go unchecked. In this paper,  published by...