Private Security and Civil Society

 

 

Civil society play a key role in building democracies based on respect for the rule of law, accountability and transparency. DCAF is a strategic partner to the Private Security Governance Observatory, a network of African civil society organizations (CSOs) that seeks to share knowledge and reinforce their organizational capacity to promote good governance of the private sector. The Observatory supports the establishment of sustainable, locally driven CSO networks across Africa by:

 

• Supporting African-driven research

• CSO-network building across Africa;

 

Promoting multistakeholder approaches through strengthening links between CSOs, national authorities and the private sector.

 

Training of Public Security Forces 

 

 

 

DCAF’s Security and Human Rights Implementation Mechanism (SHRIM), supports Human Rights and Security training for police officers deployed around extractive operations.

 

Kenya

 

Since 2017, DCAF promotes security and human rights good practices with public security forces around extractives operations in Kenya, supporting the development of a human rights training curriculum for the police, training a pool of Kenyan police instructors in human rights and security and supporting roll-out training sessions in several regions in Kenya.

 

Democratic Republic of Congo

 

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, DCAF supports trainings of the mining police in  South Kivu and the former Katanga. In addition, following a training needs assessment, the police curriculum was adapted to reflect local needs and applicable good practices.

 

Responsible Business Conduct -
The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights

 

 

The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) is a multi-stakeholder initiative that guides companies on how to conduct  their security operations while respecting human rights. Through the Security and Human Rights Implementation Mechanism (SHRIM) DCAF supports in-country Working Groups that provide a platform for constructive exchange between extractive companies, civil society organisations and other important stakeholders.

 

Democratic Republic of Congo

 

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), DCAF supports Working Groups in South Kivu and the former Katanga. These projects are implemented in partnership with the local NGOs Observatoire pour la Gouvernance et la Paix (OGP) and Justicia Asbl.

 

Nigeria

 

DCAF is working with LITE-Africa on national VPs implementation. Through the development of a baseline study, a foundation is provided for the National Working Group on the VPs to lay out priorities and an action plan for implementation of the Voluntary Principles in Nigeria.

 

National Private Security Regulation  

 

 

DCAF supports national regulatory processes enabling policymakers to develop effective, human rights compliant, legal and policy frameworks for private security.

 

Madagascar

 

In the framework of the Montreux Document Forum Advisory Service, DCAF supports the regulation of private security in Madagascar through knowledge gathering, the provision of legal advice, and sensitizing the industry and other stakeholders on regulatory efforts.

 

Kenya

 

In Kenya, DCAF supports civil society organisations (CSOs) and media to improve their oversight of the private security industry. The project builds on a baseline study, carried out jointly with Usalama Reforms Forum.