Research
Security and stability
Significant progress has been made in recent years with regard to understanding the causes of insecurity and instability contributing to state fragility and conflict. Among academics and policy makers there is a growing understanding that addressing these sources of insecurity and instability requires a broad, whole of government approach. However, developing practical policy approaches and concrete programmes is challenging. There are no blueprints or silver bullets which can be universally applied. CRU aims to contribute to this field by translating research and developments as regards lessons learned and best practice in the debate on fragile states, conflict prevention and post-conflict stabilisation/reconstruction into practical policy recommendations for international actors such as donor governments and multilateral organisations.
CRU research in the field of security and stability focuses on Justice and Security Sector Reform (JSSR), Rule of Law, Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR), Armed Violence Reduction (AVR) and country-specific security and stability analyses and assessments. As well as contributing to the development of guidance material for donors on support to JSSR processes such as the OECD DAC Handbook on Security System Reform, CRU translates findings of research and assessments into specific advice on JSSR programming for particular countries. In addition, CRU conducts its own research into how donors and multilateral institutions can more effectively support JSSR processes in partner countries (e.g. by focusing on the role of non-state, local and community actors in the provision of justice and security services or developing insights into how participation of local stakeholders in security development can be effectively enhanced). CRU also works on providing insights into the practical linkages between community security initiatives and DDR programmes. Similarly, synergies between different types of programming are investigated in order to enhance overall effectiveness, for example between AVR and JSSR programming. Finally, CRU conducts Stability Assessments to support the development of policies, strategies and plans for stabilisation. The Stability Assessment Framework (SAF) tool developed by CRU serves as a first step in the stabilisation planning process.
In its security and stability work, CRU pays attention to cross-government and multidisciplinary approaches that are in line with the complexity of the challenges in fragile and (post-)conflict states. It pursues synergies with other CRU clusters such as in the area of gender, state-building and economic development, and regularly collaborates in research projects with other research institutes and non-governmental organisations.