The role of civil society in security building

International conference report, Kosovo

On 24 April 2014, Saferworld in partnership with FIQ and AKTIV organised an international conference on ‘Civil society’s role and contribution in security building’ in Prishtinë/Priština, Kosovo. The conference aimed to share experiences, challenges, and lessons learned to help civil society maximise its contribution to security building. It brought together 48 participants representing civil society organisations (CSOs), institutions and experts from the region and the UK, as well as representatives from Saferworld programmes and partners. It consisted of three moderated sessions focusing on: 1) Security issues addressed by CSOs; 2) Impact of CSO contribution in security building; and 3) Opportunities and challenges for effective cooperation between CSOs and authorities in security building.

“...civil society has a critical role to play in influencing the quality of policy and decision-making discussions and ensuring that policies are not only good on paper but also translate effectively into practice on the ground...”