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Prepared by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Gender and Security Sector Reform Toolkit is an initial response to the need for more information and analysis on gender and SSR processes. It is designed to provide policymakers and practitioners with a practical introduction to why gender issues are important in SSR and what can be done to integrate them.

Security sector reform (SSR) opens a window of opportunity to transform security policies, institutions and programmes by integrating gender issues . Increasing the recruitment of female staff, preventing human rights violations and collaborating with women’s organisations, for example, contribute to creating a security sector that is effective, accountable and meets the needs of men, women, boys and girls.

Through comprehensive full-length Tools and shorter, more concrete Practice Notes, the Gender and Security Sector Reform Toolkit: