Abstract

Security is experienced at the personal level, but it is often determined at the political level. That is, security arrangements tend to be functions of existing power structures that are organized to maintain power and privilege. This is why community security programmes must account for, and be responsive to, the structures of power and political forces that influence local security. Available evidence suggests that the principle of security as an entitlement should be better reconciled with the empirical reality that security is often organised as a means of enforcement.

The present report substantiates why needs analysis alone is inadequate for generating a good understanding of security in a particular community. It proposes a complementary approach to analysing community security that is more power-oriented. The report also examines how a number of international non-governmental organisations undertake analysis for designing and implementing their community security programmes, and offers suggestions to strengthen these processes.