Stakeholder mapping

Example: Mapping Gender and Security Sector Reform Actors and Activities in Liberia

As part of an ongoing programme and in response to local requests for greater information on gender and security sector reform in West Africa, the Democratic Control of Armed Forces commissioned a mapping of actors and initiatives working on gender and security sector reform in Liberia. The study aims to complement existing information on the issue, to reinforce information-sharing and coordination between actors, and may help monitor progress in the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. The mapping is accompanied by a regional survey of police, defence, justice, penal services and gender in the Economic Community of West African States Member States, which will collectively inform future programming on gender and security sector reform in the region. Conducted in late 2010 through desk research and surveys with 35 security focal points, the review was followed by a participatory workshop to present and validate the findings as well as develop recommendations for future programming in the sector. The study provides a descriptive overview of the institutions, actors and programmes in Liberia working on issues of gender (including violence against women) and security sector reform, highlighting the programming objectives or areas of work of each, lessons learned, challenges to implementation and linkages to other institutions and actors. Recommendations identified relate training, policy and programme matters among other issues, and include:

• Greater gender training for all security agencies, including private security companies.

• More capacity building and training opportunities for female recruits.

• Consideration of a single training academy for all security institutions, and development of a single context-specific gender training module for use by security institutions.

• More joint trainings, information sharing and coordination among actors, including more partnerships between security actors.

• Developing a gender and peace-building department within the University of Liberia.

• Input from gender experts in the development of a Liberian Armed Forces gender policy.

• Upscaling the role of civil society including women’s groups and networks and their inclusion in peace-building efforts as well as gender and security programmes.

• Enhancing visibility of sector-gender initiatives through newsletters and other means.

• Development of mechanisms for the Ministry of Gender and Development to better monitor and evaluate the implementation of government gender policies and programmes.

• Greater funding for capacity building and implementation of gender-sensitive programmes.

• Establishment of human rights sections/focal points within security institutions, with greater reliance on training by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights.

• Organizing a national Gender and SSR day for public awareness-raising and discussion.

• Stronger gender and security sector oversight capacity for national legislature to enhance civilian oversight of the military and other security forces.

• Reviewing all legislation relating to the security agencies and initiatives to make legislation more effective, coordinated and gender-sensitive.

• Conducting more research on the role of private security companies to revise and tighten regulations governing their activities.

• Developing mechanisms to increase women’s participation in County & District Security Councils.

• Addressing aging towards policy-development, specifically on pension schemes and retirement

• Consideration of family relations and roles and its impact on women’s incentives to participate in the security sector, through assessing community and family practices.

Adapted from: Griffiths, C. for DCAF. 2011. Mapping Study on Gender and Security Sector Reform Actors and Activities in Liberia. DCAF. Geneva.