Human security

Content

 Human security
 Origin and development
 Types of security
 Security threats
 Strategies and capacities
What is Human Security?

 to protect the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedoms
and human fulfillment.
 freedoms – freedoms that are the essence of life. It means protecting people from
critical (severe) and pervasive (widespread) threats and situations
 It means creating political, social, environmental, economic, military and cultural
systems that together give people the building blocks of survival, livelihood and
dignity
Origins and development

  with the immediate post-Cold War period and the new development agenda, the first 
authoritative definition of human security was provided in 1994 when Mahbub ul Haq
drew attention to the concept in the United Nations Development Program
 (UNDP) Human Development Report. Beyond territorial and military concerns, the
report argued that human security is fundamentally concerned with human life and
dignity.
Type of Security

 Economic security
 Food security
 Health security
 Environmental security
 Personal security
 Community security
 Political security
 Possible Types of Human Security Threats

Type of Security Examples of Main Threats

Economic security Persistent poverty, unemployment
Food security Hunger, famine
Health security Deadly infectious diseases, unsafe food,
malnutrition, lack of access to basic health care

Environmental security Environmental degradation, resource depletion,

Natural disasters, pollution
Personal security Physical violence, crime, terrorism, domestic
violence, child labor
Community security Inter-ethnic, religious and other identity based
tensions
Political security Political repression, human rights abuses
 Examples of Strategies and Capacities Needed for Addressing
Human Insecurities

Human security components Strategies to enhance Capacities needed

protection and empowerment

Economic security • Assured access to basic income • Economic capital

• Public and private sector • Human capital
employment, wage employment, • Public finance
self-employment • Financial reserves
• When necessary, government • Diversified agriculture and
financed social safety nets economy
• Diversify agriculture and economy

Food security Entitlement to food, by growing it • Diversified agriculture and economy

themselves, having the ability to • Local and national distribution
purchase it or through a public food systems
distribution system
Human security components Strategies to enhance protection
and empowerment
Health security • Access to basic health care and health
services
• Risk-sharing arrangements that pool
membership funds and promote
community-based insurance schemes
• Interconnected surveillance systems to
identify disease outbreaks at all levels
Environmental security • Sustainable practices that take into account
natural resource and environmental
degradation (deforestation, desertification)
• Early warning and response mechanisms
for natural hazards and/or man-made
disasters at all levels
Personal security • Rule of law
• Explicit and enforced protection of human
rights and civil liberties
Capacities needed
• Universal basic education and knowledge
on health related matters
• Indigenous/traditional health practices
• Access to information and community-
based knowledge creation
• Natural resource capital
• Natural barriers to storm action (e.g. coral
reefs)
• Natural environmental recovery processes
(e.g. forests recovering from fires)
• Biodiversity
• Indigenous/traditional practices that
respect the environment
• Coping mechanisms
• Adaptive strategies
• Memory of past disasters
Human security components Strategies to enhance protection Capacities needed
and empowerment

Community security • Explicit and enforced protection of • Social capital

ethnic groups and community identity
• Protection from oppressive
traditional practices, harsh treatment
towards women, or discrimination
again ethnic/indigenous/refugee
groups
• Coping mechanisms
• Adaptive strategies
• Memory of past disasters
• Local non-governmental
organizations or traditional organisms

Political security • Protection of human rights • Good governance

• Protection from military dictatorships • Ethical standards
and abuse • Local leadership
• Protection from political or state • Accountability mechanisms
repression, torture, ill treatment,
unlawful detention and imprisonment