A Plea for Engendering Human Security

Abstract

The human security concept centred around rights is a radical departure from the traditional state-centric approach to security issues. However this paradigm needs to be engendered because experience has shown that the concept of “people” still leaves out women, especially those at the margins. Threats from militarism, patriarchy, chauvinism, sectarianism, poverty and denial of rights affect women differently than they do men and since structures and institutions of power remain patriarchal, there is need for a gender balance as well as a feminization of security. Many countries in principle accept people's rights and yet discriminate against women in practice. It is time that steps like evolving gendered security indicators in order to assess the threats to human security are brought on the security agenda.