Page 14 - Empowerment and Protection - Conclusions Chapter

Expanding the traditional security discourse
When applied to the traditional security sphere, human security principles have the potential to transform security policies and approaches by involving affected individuals and communities in redesigning security goals and strategies. As this publication argues, more inclusive security processes change security outcomes. Inclusive policymaking can yield innovative solutions that protect individuals and their communities more effectively.
Rather than proposing a wholly new approach, inclusive security imports concepts and approaches more familiar in governance and development to reframe and expand traditional security discourse. People-centred, participatory approaches are widely accepted in the development sector. For example, the World Bank through their ‘Voices of the Poor’ project in 1999 conducted a large scale survey of more than 60,000 poor individuals from sixty countries in order to make economic and development policies more effective and people- centred. Some of their recommendations run parallel to those advocated for in a human security approach, including a focus on protection and empowerment, and strengthening the citizen-state relationship. In their conclusion, ‘An Empowering Approach to Poverty Reduction’, authors Deepa Narayan and Patti Patesch advocate
promoting equal and effective relationships between poor people and the state. Fostering such partnership processes requires a dual focus on actions that, on the one hand, improve state capacity to grasp poor people’s needs and [.] strengthen poor people’s capacity to mobilize, articulate and defend their interests, and hold government accountable.5
Such people-centred approaches are increasingly identiied as best practices in food security, health care access, and community development. Human security advocates for a similar approach in the security sector, applicable both in the analysis of security threats and in the design of intervention strategies. While innovative case studies of people- centred security strategies can be harvested from civil society organisations in the peacebuilding ield across the world,e these continue to be isolated
e See for example the mapping of such initiatives conducted by GPPAC and the Alliance for Peacebuilding under the Civil Society and Security Sector Engagement for Human Security project, and the People’s Peacemaking Perspectives Project implemented by Conciliation Resources and Saferworld.
approaches yet to be accepted as ‘best practices’ by many governments and intergovernmental organisations.
Gendered security
The practical application of a people-centred approach in the security ield can learn from recent global efforts to address women’s speciic security needs and the development of gender-sensitive approaches. The UN Security Council Resolution (SCR) 1325 on Women Peace and Security is built on a strategy of prevention, participation, and protection, which are also key human security principles. By emphasising consultative processes and women’s participation in formulating security policies, SCR 1325 provides an opportunity to ensure women’s participation in public dialogue. Women’s voices are usually missing from oficial state policymaking and discussions: “Precisely because states and state security systems are gendered, women’s experiences and analysis are not often captured in the dominant discourse.”6 Cultural and psychological barriers, particularly in traditional societies, often prevent women from participating
in community decision-making or in disclosing
their experiences of gender-based violence. Such obstacles reinforce the need for a people-centred approach and an emphasis on empowerment to ensure women’s participation.f
Inclusive policymaking can yield innovative solutions that protect individuals and their communities more effectively.
In addition, gender advocates have also made great strides in developing gender-sensitive approaches to conlict analysis and programming.7 Such approaches go beyond a focus on women
to identify the ways that socialised gender roles support cultural values that condone or enable
f While this publication focuses on women’s security with regards to gender, it recognises that gender-speciic forms of violence and related security needs go beyond women as a group, and merit their own analysis and people-centred solutions.
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Applications in conlict prevention