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| Title: |
Evaluating Gender Centred Definitions of Human Security |
| Author: |
Liepollo L Pheko
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| Date Published: |
December 18, 2007 |
| Source: |
Article |
| PDF: |
Evaluating Gender Centred Definitions of Human Security  |
| Abstract: |
Conventional or traditional security is more concerned with acquiring armaments and military defence infrastructure and largely perceives security to be the responsibility of the State and its agents including the army, the police and other defence personnel. The evolving definitions recognise communities, private citizens, NGOs, families and other non traditional actors who have a vested in the security of the State as key role players and their well-being as a critical outcome and objective of security. |
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The development discourse has influenced security studies and this increasingly includes an undrstanding that security cannot only be State Centric but should also encompass human development. This discourse must recognise that women are at the centre of security studies as change agents and as custodians of society's memory in times of armed conflict ,of peace and the fragile times in between . The expanding definition of security is cognisant of the different threats faced by women. Feminist writers place the onus upon "structural violence," which is beyond physical violence and encompasses "the indirect violence done to individuals when unjust economic and political structures reduce their life expectancy through lack of access to basic material needs. |
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