The elected government of any nation has the responsibility to ensure the management of the security sector is in line with democratic best practices and the provision of security as a public good. Governments also bear the political responsibility for the activities of the security sector. As a result, governments need detailed and extensive plans and management structures to ensure security policies and practices are transparent and accountable.

Security institutions that are responsive to public needs tend to be transparent; those which are indifferent to public needs tend to be opaque. This section outlines key institutional governance issues affecting key government ministries responsible for security sector agencies.

Governments must also ensure that the legal framework for the activities of each security sector institution is exhaustive. The legal framework for ministries, directorates and security institutions needs to be developed in line with international good practice and ensure consistency with the rule of law. Legislation needs to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each security institution, specify the authorisation procedures for administrative and operational activities, identify the applicability of internal rules and procedures, ensure instruments exist for other stakeholders to engage and monitor security institutions, identify the constitutional basis for each components’ activities, and ensure security institutions’ employees are accountable for their actions before the law. Additionally, legal frameworks need to incorporate and facilitate access to information for the general public and democratic institutions.