DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance is dedicated to making states and people safer through more effective and accountable security and justice. Since 2000, the Centre has facilitated, driven, and shaped security sector reform (SSR) policy and programming around the world.

Good security sector governance (SSG), based on the rule of law and respect for human rights, is a cornerstone of development and security. DCAF assists partner states in developing laws, institutions, policies, and practices to improve the governance of their security sector through inclusive and participatory reforms based on international norms and good practices. In everything they do, DCAF adheres to the principles of impartiality, local ownership, inclusive participation, and gender equality. DCAF also advises governments and international organizations in designing and implementing their own programmes for supporting states in developing their security sector governance.

DCAF creates innovative knowledge products, promotes norms and good practices, and provides legal and policy advice. DCAF supports capacity building of the state, civil society, and private sector stakeholders by providing access to independent expertise and information on Security Sector Governance and Reform (SSG/R). DCAF’s Foundation Council comprises representatives of 63 member states and the Canton of Geneva. With programmes that touch on more than 80 countries, DCAF is internationally recognized as a leading centre of excellence for SSG and SSR. Headquartered at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva, DCAF has field offices in Addis Ababa, Bamako, Banjul, Beirut, Brussels, Kyiv, Ljubljana, Niamey,  Ramallah, Skopje, Tegucigalpa, Tripoli, and Tunis. DCAF employs more than 200 staff with a broad range of expertise from over 40 countries.

Mission and Values

DCAF is guided by the principles of impartiality, local ownership, human rights, and democratic control.

DCAF is devoted to making states and people safer, within a framework of democratic governance, the rule of law, and respect for human rights.

DCAF works towards this ultimate objective by assisting partner states, and international actors supporting these states, to improve the governance of their security sector through inclusive and participatory reforms based on international norms and best practices, and in response to specific local contexts and challenges.