Sustainable security

A woman named Megan asked in a comment to one of my posts:

Could you expand a bit on what you think is integral to promoting security in Liberia in a sustainable way?

First, let me recommend this recent International Crisis Group report on security sector reform. It has an excellent overview of challenges and progress made in efforts to reform the police and army in Liberia. The report mostly discusses the technical aspects of these projects.

From a different angle, I think access to small, medium, and large business loans is the most ignored issue in conversations about security. Despite all the news about millions of dollars for microloans and small business loans in Liberia, the people I talk to either:

a) don’t know how to access these loans;
b) have tried to access these loans and failed; or
c) have figured out how to access only very small loans (under $100).

Sustainable security depends on a lower unemployment rate, and I think the best way to create jobs would be to make loans more accessible throughout the country so that entrepreneurs can start businesses and employ people.

This is just one idea. Anyone else have others that you think get ignored in discussions about promoting security in Liberia?