A security sector ‘network’
The New Zealand Security Sector Network (NZSSN) is a security sector-wide network promoting interdisciplinary information sharing, collaboration, and research between government, industry, and academia. Its aim is to raise awareness, promote professionalism, and champion good practice in relation to the protection of New Zealanders from emerging threats to their security.
An evolving network, the NZSSN’s flagship initiative is the Women in Security Awards Aotearoa (WiSAA), which since 2020 has played an important role in recognising excellence among female Defence, Law Enforcement, and Security professionals – areas in which women are significantly under-represented.
A principled approach
Based on workshops among security sector professional and educational organisation representatives that took place over three meetings in Auckland and Wellington in 2019, it was identified that the NZSSN champion the following principles:
- A sector that reflects the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi
- Evidence-based approaches to understanding security problems
- Security-by-design approaches to the design of goods, services and systems
- Legal and ethical security practices that safeguard individual rights and liberty
- Practices that reflect international standards and/or world-leading practice
- A non-government security sector working in the national interest
- The value of public-private partnership in enhancing national security
- Security as a visible and attractive career option for all
- Promoting professionalism and celebrating success across the sector
- Raising the profile of the role of under-represented genders and groups in security
The NZSSN is a cooperative network and independent non-commercial entity. It does not receive any form of sponsorship or funding, and is operated by an unpaid, voluntary secretariat.
