Parliaments' contributions to security sector governance/reform and the sustainable development goals : testing parliaments' resolve in security sector governance during Covid-19 / Wilhelm Janse van Rensburg, Nicolette van Zyl-Gous, Lindy Heinecken.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Van Rensburg, Wilhelm Janse, author.

Van Zyl-Gous, Nicolette, author.

Heinecken, Lindy, author.

Series:

SSR paper ; Volume 21.

SSR paper ; Volume 21

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-2023--Political aspects.

COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-2023.

Security sector.

Sustainable Development Goals (Project).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (79 pages).

Other Title:

Parliaments’ Contributions to Security Sector Governance/Reform and the Sustainable Development Goals

Parliaments’ Contributions to Security Sector Governance/Reform and the Sustainable Development Goals

Place of Publication:

London : Ubiquity Press, [2022]

Summary:

The United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 calls for the establishment of peaceful, just and inclusive societies. The security sector has the potential to contribute to SDG16 through the fulfilment of its traditional and non-traditional security tasks. However, the security sector can also detract from SDG16 when it acts outside the confines of the law. Good governance of the sector is therefore a prerequisite to achieving SDG16, and parliaments can make an important contribution to accountability and good governance. Parliaments contribute to both transparency and accountability of the sector through their various functions and act as a counterweight to executive dominance, including in the executive's use of security forces. Yet, in times of crisis, states run a risk of executive dominance and executives are often quick to resort to the use of the security sector to address an array of challenges. This risk also emerged during the global Covid-19 pandemic where states used the security sector, notably the military and police, in various ways to respond to the pandemic. This study reviewed the utilisation of the security sector in South Africa, the Philippines and the UK during the first year of the Covid-19 outbreak, resulting in varied outcomes ranging from positive humanitarian contributions to misconduct and brutality that led to the death of citizens. The initial lockdowns in these countries constrained parliamentary activity, resulting in a lack of adequate parliamentary oversight of security sector utilisation when it was most needed. Parliaments did recover oversight of the sector to varied degrees, but often with limited depth of inquiry into the Covid-19 deployments. To prevent the security sector from detracting from SDG16, the study identified a need for a rapid parliamentary reaction capability to security sector utilisation, especially in cases of extraordinary deployments coupled with an elevated risk of executive dominance.

Contents:

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms

SSR Papers

About the Authors

Declaration

Acknowledgements

Executive Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

Aim and research methodology

Conceptual demarcation: SSG and the SDGs

The Sustainable Development Goals Security Sector Governance

Locating the role of parliaments

Parliaments, democracy and ensuring accountability

Linking parliaments, SSG and SDG16

Conclusion

Chapter 2: Parliaments and SSG-Contributing to Stability for Sustainable

Development

Introduction

Military contributions to SDG16

Parliaments' role in enhancing military contributions to SDG16 Police contributions to SDG16

Parliaments' role in enhancing police contributions to SDG16

Private security contributions to SDG16

Parliaments' role in enhancing private security contributions to SDG16

Chapter 3: Parliaments and Security Sector Governance-Contributing to Just and Peaceful Societies

Security sector transparency

How do parliaments ensure security sector transparency?

Security sector accountability

Parliamentary focus areas to ensure security sector accountability

Parliaments' budgetary function and oversight of related performance aspects

Oversight of security sector policy

Oversight of security sector human resources Oversight of security sector utilisation

Chapter 4: Covid-19 and the Security Sector Response-Testing Parliaments'

Resolve and Sustainable Development Contribution

Covid-19 and the varying utilisation of the security sector

South Africa

The Philippines

The United Kingdom

Parliaments' varying capacity during Covid-19

Exercising parliamentary oversight of the security sector during Covid-19 Security sector transparency during Covid-19

Security sector accountability during Covid-19

Linking Covid-19 responses and SDG16

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations to Parliaments

Conclusions

Confirming the security sector contribution to SDG16

Confirming parliaments' shortfalls in emergencies

Highlighting the link between continuous oversight, accountability and the SDGs Human security theory and the concept of executive dominance

Recommendations to parliaments Parliaments' legislative function

Parliaments' representation function

Parliaments' budgetary function

Parliaments' oversight function

Reference List.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Includes bibliographical references.