RESDALis a civil society organization, based in Montevideo, Uruguay, that as a network, generates, binds, and empowers the capacities and efforts of decision makers, academics, and members of civil so­ciety in the field of security and defense. RESDAL collab­orates with the construction of a secure and peaceful democratic environment in the Global South by promoting South-South cooperation with initiatives that impact both the hemispheric environment and international security.

Since its birth in 2001, RESDAL has implemented a variety of research programs, through which it has consolidated its relations with various actors linked to the field of security and defense, from civil society to governmental institutions, regional and international bodies, acquiring through these activities the recognition not only in Latin America but also on a global level. Some of its key publications are: The Comparative Atlas of Defense in Latin America and the Caribbean; Women in the Armed and Police Forces; and, Contribution to the Colombian Peace Process. The organization has also developed international action through an ongoing participation in the CDMA and the collaboration with the United Nations.

RESDAL began working on gender issues in 2008 with a pioneering project on the incorporation of women into the armed forces and their participation in peace operations in Latin America. Expanding its outreach to the international scenario by supporting the women, peace and security agenda, which led to concrete transformations in several countries. This project allowed RESDAL to be the first CSO entering three UN missions (MINUSTAH (Haiti), MONUSCO (DRC) and UNIFIL (Lebanon)) and carrying out interviews with military and police contingents (from Bangladesh, China, Ghana, Egypt, India, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uruguay, among others) for the publications: "Women in the Latin American and Caribbean Armed Forces: A Gender Approach to Peace Operations" and “Engendering Peacekeeping; Women in the Armed and Police Forces”.

RESDAL is currently one of six global implementing partners of the Elsie Initiative. This interregional project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, addresses sexual harassment and abuse affecting women in the defense and security sectors, with a particular focus on how these issues are addressed within national frameworks and the later impact in peace operations. It involves an analysis of legislation in selected Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries (TPCCs), an assessment of institutional norms and programs, and the identification of key challenges and good practices. The project is based on the premise that behaviors observed during peacekeeping operations do not occur in isolation – rather, they often reflect and amplify norms from contributing countries. In this context, RESDAL co-hosted a Interregional Seminar in Brasília with COTER (Brazilian Army) and REBRAPAZ (a Brazilian defense think tank) on October 22–23, 2024. The event brought together official representatives from the defense and security sectors of 11 TPCCs from 4 regions, along with participants from the UN and the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF), to exchange best practices and experiences related to preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH) in both institutional contexts and UN deployments.   

Due to its experience working alongside security and defense institutions—building public trust in them and engaging local partners (such as researchers, universities, etc.)—RESDAL was invited to join the Technical Committee of the Elsie Initiative Fund from its inception. Within the framework of the Elsie Initiative, RESDAL also contributed to the early development of what is now the MOWIP methodology, and served as an implementing partner of Cornell University and DCAF in the case of Uruguay (2019). The Government of Mexico selected RESDAL as a strategic partner, alongside UN Women, for its implementation of the methodology after successfully securing a project under the Elsie Fund (2021). Peru and Ecuador also included RESDAL in their proposals for the most recent call for applications, and fieldwork with the Government of Peru is expected to take place in late 2025.

Furthermore, RESDAL has worked as a non-centralized network of experts from different countries, with outreach to the Global South. Through its programs it has establish relations with vari­ous actors linked to the field of security and defense, from civil society to governmental institutions, regional and international bodies. In 2017, we began developing a global community of practice that brings together experts from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the MENA region, with the goal of fostering interregional exchange and elevating voices from the Global South. The initiative was officially launched in 2019 at a meeting held in Berlin, where its aim to build partnerships across regions was clearly articulated. These efforts laid the groundwork for the creation of the GPSP and the School on the Oversight of the Security Sector—an educational initiative designed to train young and mid-career professionals on matters of security sector oversight. The School was developed in collaboration with key partners including LINLEA (Liberia), PILDAT (Pakistan), and the Al Quds Center (Jordan). Also, within the framework of this interregional perspective from the Global South, studies were conducted on the global state of security-related issues and on the role of civil society.

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