Empowerment and Protection - Stories of Human Security Oct. 2014 | Page 106

Human
Security
and the
Citizen-State
Relationship

Human security is not
only an outcome but a
process of dialogue and
relationship-building.

The first 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
influencing 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.

Kristen Wall
People interviewed in the six diverse contexts presented in this publication give a picture
of human security from the ground up. Respondents demonstrate an acute awareness
of the ways various aspects of security are interrelated. Human security is described
as a subjective experience with economic, health, environmental, food, personal,
community, and political dimensions. The stories offer insights into the key role of the
state in ensuring individual security through public goods and the rule of law. They
also demonstrate how states can undermine human security through weak capacity,
corruption, and abusive behaviour. Local human security strategies demon 7G&FRF