Page 2 - Empowerment and Protection - Conclusions Chapter

Human security is not 4 only an outcome but a
process of dialogue and
relationship-building.
The irst part of this chapter is rich in context. Across the diverse regions portrayed, people paint a paradoxical picture of the state as both a main provider of security and a key source of insecurity. While governance contexts vary greatly, the case studies highlight the necessity of rule of law in protecting people from state predation, including corruption and abusive or negligent security forces. They also demonstrate the importance
of collective action and social movements in inluencing security policy, and the important
role that knowledge of human and civic rights plays in empowering civilians to protect themselves. Throughout these stories, intangible factors such as cultural integrity, values and
social trust hold an essential place in individual experiences of security.
The second part of the chapter examines the implications of these indings for the further development and use of human security as a
tool for conlict prevention. Human insecurity is heightened in situations where the state is absent, weak, or unaccountable to its citizens. The stories presented demonstrate that human security is not only an outcome but a process of dialogue and
relationship-building, both among social groups and between people and governing authorities. Human security strategies are those that transform the
social contract towards greater state responsiveness, accountability and representation on the one hand, and increased citizen empowerment and participation on the other.
The chapter concludes by exploring avenues for ‘scaling up’ human security approaches, by examining two global security processes: the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (and related resolutions), and the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States. Though still in development, these initiatives can serve as models for designing future human security policies, and could themselves beneit from a more explicit focus on human security.
Finally, it is necessary to consider the challenges, limitations and unintended consequences of a
human security approach. This includes the challenge of reconciling diverse priorities and individual perceptions of conlict contexts, and the sensitive question of the role of the military and security forces in ensuring human security.
107