Human Security or National Security: the Problems and Prospects of the Norm of Human Security (original) (raw)

Human Security: from National Security to Sustainable Human Development

Human security is an emerging interdisciplinary paradigm, developed and debated over the last 20 years. The concept was launched in 1994, within the Human Development Report, published by the United Nations. The development of human security represents the beginning of a complex transition process from conventional security, which is deals with national and territorial issues, towards a new security approach, focused on individuals and human communities. The aim of the study is to highlight the most significant aspects regarding terminology, approaches, characteristics, dimensions and indicators of human security in order to understand the perspectives of development for this emerging concept. Another important objective consists in analyzing the report between human security and related concepts, such as human development and sustainability. The results of the research show a growing interest in human security in the academic field over the last decades. We can also note several contradictions regarding the definition of the paradigm. In general, the interdisciplinary approach, characterized by a stronger relationship with sustainability and human development, is the most common among researchers. However, there are also critics who argue that this approach goes beyond conventional security studies which are focused on the issues of violence and conflict. This fact still generates impediments in applying the concept through concrete measures, such as human security assessment or specific development policies.

HUMAN SECURITY: A PRECONDITION FOR PEACE, DIGNITY AND DEVELOPMENT

Gjon Culaj, Elton Tota, Gramos Sejdiu, 2024

Whereas the traditional conception of security has been considered as state ability to protect territorial integrity and sovereignty from external military threats, the human security gives priority to individuals, their basic needs, sustainable development and human dignity. The concept of human security, broadly defined, is presented for the first time in the 1994 in the Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) affirming that human security is ‘’freedom from fear and freedom from want”. Promoters of human security do rightly argue that intra-state conflicts, terrorism, organized crime, poverty, hunger, environmental degradation and disease, due to their wide-ranging impact, do kill far more people than wars. Moreover, such chronic threats are often related to each other and undermine the human well-being. The purpose of this research paper is to argue that traditional security which is focused on priority of state activities do remains relevant and indispensable for the wider concept of state security but it is not automatically associated with security of individuals, their human rights and welfare. Therefore, a balance pursuit of state-centric security and people-centric approach to security is critical for each other mutual`s reinforcement and peaceful coexistence in the current international order.

Concepts and Major Initiatives of Human Security

Human security is a comprehensive conceptual approach. It is a broad notion, protection from military to non-State and natural-manmade disasters. Human security is a very important issue to all human beings whom needs in their homes, in their jobs, in their schools and in nature to comfortably live, grow, play or study and work. The principal notion in ancient, philosophical, traditional and modern concepts of human security maintains and restores peace, harmony, coexistence and development. Human security protects human potentials and development. The United Nation initiates several measures to establish and develop human security. Whatever the Commissions have been formed, literatures published and dialogue and debate conducted, neither they are sufficient nor is the UN strong enough to implement them. No concrete voice rises on the reduction of military spending, transforming military production to civilian production. Either the UN is not serious on subject matter or it does afraid with powerful nations-states. The USA pays little attention on human security, but Japan, Canada, Norway and Switzerland gave priority on setting up a fund for it. Human security secures individual, group and community needs and capabilities for adequately supporting standard of living, survival, freedom and dignity. People will not enjoy security without development, people will not enjoy development without protection, people will not enjoy protection without fundamental freedom, people will not enjoy freedom without dignity, people will not enjoy dignity without inherit pro-nature environment, people will not enjoy either without respect and fulfillment of all human security for all. Human security is territorial-centered to people-centered, job-centered, resource (delivery)-centered, service-centered, autonomy-centered, freedom-centered, secular-centered, solidarity-centered, nature-centered, humanitarian-centered and legal-centered. Only victory on all-fronts can assure the world enduring peace and human rights.

Human Security Concepts, Approaches and Debates in

2004

The end of the Cold War not only has resulted in many non-traditional security issues becoming a focus in international relations, but it also set the stage for a comprehensive re-evaluation of the whole concept of security. Although the long-held Realist and Neorealist view has been that the overarching goal of security is the survival of the state, it has become clear that most victims of both traditional and non-traditional security threats are the individual people who live in a given country. The UN took the lead in spotlighting this view in their 1994 Annual Human Development Report. The concept of human security acknowledges that basic human needs and human rights, along with social equity--with strong support from the state’s governing systems, policies, and laws- is essential for stability and security at any level of society, from local to global. In this paper I will present a summary of how this idea of human security has evolved so far within Southeast Asia, especially ...