Waterloo, Canada – March 1 – Security sector reform experts are staging a public panel discussion in Ottawa on Thursday, March 3, to discuss the current model in light of global pressures, including turmoil in the Middle East.
Taking centre stage in the discussion are key people behind The Future of Security Sector Reform, a new eBook published by The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), including: CIGI Senior Fellow and eBook editor Mark Sedra, and contributors Nicole Ball from the Centre for International Policy and Senior Researcher at the North-South Institute Jennifer Salahub. The event moderator is Roland Paris, Director at the Centre for International Policy Studies and Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa,
This event, open to the media, takes place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 3 at the North-South Institute in Ottawa.
The discussion comes at an important time as civil-military relations intensify in parts of North Africa and the Middle East.
“Security sector reform continues to play an important role internationally,” said Sedra. “From Africa and the Middle East to Latin America and South Asia, the process of realigning the priorities and mandates of security sector institutions and personnel within fragile, failed and conflict-affected states has major implications for regional and international security.”
“One excellent way to improve the effectiveness of aid in support of SSR is by encouraging a gender-sensitive approach to reform, including bringing more women into security sector decision making and security sector institutions,” said Jennifer Salahub. “Engaging with women helps governments better identify women's different security needs and can make their services more responsive to the security needs of the local population, particularly the most vulnerable parts of society.”
Guests and members of the media are welcomed to attend this discussion by registering with [email protected]. The Future of Security Sector Reform is available as free downloadable PDF, or for purchase from Amazon or Kobo for your eReader or eBook-compatible device. For more information please visit www.cigionline.org/publications/2010/11/future-security-sector-reform or contact [email protected].
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kevin Dias, Communications Specialist, CIGI
Tel: 519.885.2444, ext. 238, Email: [email protected]
Karin LeBlanc, Communications Officer, The North-South Institute
Tel: 613.241.3535, ext. 245, Email: [email protected]
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is an independent, nonpartisan think tank on international governance. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements. Conducting an active agenda of research, events and publications, CIGI’s interdisciplinary work includes collaboration with policy, business and academic communities around the world. CIGI was founded in 2001 by Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM (Research In Motion), and collaborates with and gratefully acknowledges support from a number of strategic partners, in particular the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. For more information, please visit www.cigionline.org.
The North-South Institute (NSI) is Canada's leading independent think tank dedicated to policy-relevant research and analysis on foreign policy and international development issues. For more than 30 years, the Institute has worked with partners in the South, creating and promoting research that helps reduce poverty, advance social justice and supports our mission of research for a fairer world.