Strengthening Decentralized Governance for Human Security

Mani D¹*

1. United Nations Centre for Regional Development, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan

The human security approach demands a shift from a territorial, militaristic approach to one that focuses on the protection of lives, livelihoods, and dignity of human beings. Today, the greater threats to security are conflict, environmental degradation, and the negative impacts of globalization such as trafficking of women and children, illegal trade, increased vulnerability, and loss of traditions.

Security is traditionally perceived as the preserve of central government agencies to ensure national integration, and efforts to achieve security have used force and control. This has aggravated ethnic conflicts within countries and served as a deterrent to cross border trade and regional economic growth in poverty stricken regions. In conflict-prone regions, it is found that weakened decentralized structures and alienation among communities has aggravated insecurity.

Strengthening decentralized structures for human security may take a while to gain political acceptability but needs to be considered seriously as globalization, and movement of people, information, and businesses across borders are changing traditional security concerns.

A number of examples from the Asia Pacific Region provide valuable lessons in strengthening decentralized governance for human security through local economic development, local monitoring of impact of poverty alleviation and development programmes, engagement of communities in dialogue to reduce alienation and conflict, local identification of early warnings of violence, and management of resources for poverty reduction. Some lessons from these cases are highlighted as inputs into capacity building initiatives to strengthen decentralized governance for human security and engage civil society in conflict resolution and empowering the most vulnerable groups.

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