About this SSR Backgrounder

This SSR Backgrounder is about the role of security sector actors in health crises. Outbreaks of infectious disease put pressure not only on health systems, but also on political, economic, food, water, educational, societal, and cultural systems. As such, security institutions offer strategic advantages and play essential roles which are indispensable in integrated crisis prevention and response.

This SSR Backgrounder answers the following questions : 

• What is a health crisis? 
• What security challenges are raised by health crises? 
• Which roles do security sector actors play? 
• Why is the involvement of security institutions and its oversight essential? 
• What are risks and benefits of security sector involvement in health crises? 
• How is (good) SSG central to public health and health crises?