Transforming Uganda’s Security Sector: The Need for a Gender Sensitive Approach

Abstract

The recognition that gender matters in security has shaken the Westphalian security model that prioritized state over human security. Indeed, concerns related to the security of individuals and communities have diluted earlier assumptions that a secure state automatically translates into a safe population. Gender has moved hand-in-hand with human security but consistently struggled to gain its own space in security discussions in the post-Cold War period where dependability between security and development is loudly pronounced. This paper argues that although state-centric security practices are non-dismissible, in transforming Uganda’s security sector, a gender-sensitive approach is critical for ensuring effective security service delivery and responsiveness to unique women, men, girls’ and boys’ security needs. The paper relied on secondary sources of data such as the National Gender Policy, Security Sector Development Plan; Ministerial reports; Development Community’s reports such as UNDP and OECD and literature related to gender and security by different authors. Throughout the review of the literature, the task was three-fold; a) to explain why gender has been negated in security; b) to appreciate the need to shift from security sector reform to security sector transformation and c) to advance the need for transforming Uganda’s security sector through a gendered lens. Keywords: Gender, Security sector, Security sector transformation, Uganda