What Happens After the Guns Go Quiet? Rethinking Security in Post-War Transitions

When the war ends, the real work begins.  Disarming fighters, dismantling militias, and rebuilding security institutions are some of the toughest and most politically charged tasks in any post-conflict transition.  In this episode, Heba Bawaieh sits down with Dr. Paul Williams and Professor Milena Sterio to unpack the two pillars of post-war security: Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) and Security Sector Reform (SSR).  Together, they explore how countries can move from war to peace without repeating the same cycles of violence.  What does meaningful reintegration look like in fragmented conflicts? Can abusive security forces be reformed or should they be dismantled entirely? And how do international legal standards shape who is included, who is held accountable, and who gets to carry weapons in the new state? With lessons from other transitions, this episode tackles the hard choices that define peace after the battlefield goes quiet.

Music credit:
🕰️ Mystery Music (No Copyright) - "Signal To Noise" by ‪@ScottBuckley‬ 🇦🇺

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