Virker forsvarsrettet sikkerhetssektorreform på Vest-Balkan? - metodisk rammeverk for effektmåling av FSSR

Defence and Security Sector Reform (DSSR) entails strengthening and reforming the defence and security sector of a country. The term may encompass several different security actors, several types of activities and different time spans. Security sector reform can be defined as a process through which security sector actors adapt to the political and organisational demands of change. The demand for DSSR support is growing, and the Norwegian government spends considerable resources on various DSSR activities. However, measuring the effect of these activities is a significant challenge. In this report, a tentative methodological framework on how to measure effects from DSSR activities is presented, with examples from the Western Balkans. The term DSSR is used in many different ways. One form of DSSR involves strengthening the administrative and institutional capacity of a country’s defence and security sector (usually the Ministry of Defence and/or the General Staff), while another type of DSSR is activities directed at developing the military expertise and skills of the armed forces through exercises and training. In this report, only the first type of DSSR is dealt with, and the methodology can not be transferred to the other type of DSSR without adjustments. The Norwegian government emphasise Euro-Atlantic integration, security and stability, and democratisation as important goals for the Norwegian DSSR effort. These goals are at macro, or state, level. However, most of the practical DSSR work involve single individuals or sometimes smaller units or departments, i.e. on a micro level. The most interesting level, however, is the middle level, meaning whether new ways of thinking or new working methods have institutionalised themselves in the bureacracy or in the department. This report seeks to clarify the differences between these three levels, and to explore how effects on all levels can be measured. The micro level changes, taking place amongst individuals, is fairly easily measured through surveys, interviews or observation. But changes on the middle level only happen once individuals involved in DSSR activities take their new skills and mind sets back to the organisation, and these changes institutionalise in the department. A greater leap still, is accounting for how changes at the middle level influence the macro level. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to measure changes in society based on DSSR activities with a limited number of people. A thorough analysis of these issues demands a lot of work and resources, but it will give good indications as to the future emphasis of Norwegian DSSR activities.