Politics and change: keys to security and justice programming

Managing change in the security and justice sector in fragile situations is politically sensitive and incredibly complex: it interferes with the foundations of power, is politically contested at both ends of the development partnership, and potentially challenges the interests of established social and political elites. 

In consequence, international support for security and justice development programming needs to be designed, organised and delivered in ways that adhere closely to the power dynamics, political realities and operating fluidity of fragile environments.

This report draws on practices and experiences from nine security and justice programs in four different countries: Burundi, Guatemala, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste.

It highlights what has worked and what has not worked in the design and implementation of these programs and provides clear advice to policy-makers on what can work and what is needed to scale up elements that have worked.

The report was written by Erwin van Veen when he was still working at the OECD.