Abstract

The paper aims to present an example of how the human security concept has become operational in the work of the United Nations Development Programme, one of the main actors that introduced the notion in the 1990's. It offers a description of how and why the human security concept was introduced, as well as outlines its relationship with human rights. It then focuses on the implementation of a project on Disaster Risk Reduction, that works with key elements from the human security approach, such as early prevention, empowerment of communities and capacity building and how these are introduced to the relation between government and citizens in a specific context, and how in practice it helps in strengthening the role of the individual in the achievement of freedoms and the reinforcement of human rights.