The Idea of Human Security - Essay Example

Running Headers: To what extent, if any, is human security about security at all? Your Name: Course: Institution: Instructor: Date: Introduction How gratis and secure are we as persons? This is the vital question behind the idea of human security. This question attracts the attention of both the thinkers and policy makers. International organizations, governments, ordinary citizens and even non governmental organizations (NGOs) after being freed from the constraints of the cold war are acting to broaden the extent of freedom and safety, (Axworthy, 2001). On one hand, international relations scholars and security studies remain cynical about the thought of human security, in disagreement that it’s too broad and hazy concept to be used practically or analytically. On the other hand, decision makers more and more recognize the significance of human security as a policy structure, (Roland, 2001). The idea of human security can be delineated clearly in relation to the leading, neo-realist notion of security and that its fundamentals can be presented efficiently for further refinement, (Foong, 2001). It is argued that, it is important and possible to carry out a yearly audit of human security same as the human development is audited on an annual basis by the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) in its human development report, (Katzenstein, 1996). The notion of security has more and more come under scrutiny from practitioners and scholars with the stop of the cold war. Security is all about how nations use force to manage intimidation to their territory veracity, their domestic political order, and their autonomy mostly from other states, (Sorpong, 2009). This is classical formulation to national security and has been criticized on different basis. Some people argue that the classical formulation is too unilateralist in its stress on force in a globe with weapons of mass destruction and where interdependence is knitting states together, (Shurke, 1999). The idea of security here is that, security should give way to cooperative security. Others argue that classical formulation restricts the range of security to military intimidation from other nations. This view suggests that, the antagonist nations can deploy other types of intimidation in opposition to each others domestic political order and territorial veracity. They may include economic, environmental and cultural intimidations. Security can’t be limited to the welfare of the nation, (Roland, 2001). In the classical formulation, security should be restricted to the states welfare but the most essential thing should be wellbeing and protection of the human being or individual citizens. This is referred to as human security which should be centered above all on the inviolability of individual being. This paper explains the concept of human security, (Axworthy, 2001). Concept of human security The notion of human security can be traced way back in 1960s, 1970s and 1980s the time of increasing dissatisfaction with current ideas of security and development. In mid 1970s, home of security studies, international relations and the multinational world order models project (WOMP) launched an effort to construct and envision a just world order. This drew interest to the problem of personality safety and wellbeing, (Axworthy, 2001). The most significant forerunners of the notion of human security were the reports of multinational autonomous commissions which were composed of intellectuals, prominent leaders and academics, (King and Murray, 2001). World problematique series were produced in 1970s by the club of Rome group which contained the notions that complex of tribulations affecting men of all states: they include: insecurity, loss of faith in institutions, environmental degradation, and economic and monetary disruptions. This report noted that “All persons in the globe face a sequence of problems and pressures that requires his actions and attention, (Katzenstein, 1996). These troubles affect him/ her at various levels. For instance: concern of personal power, worries about speculated wars among others which require global concern for the wellbeing of the individual. There should be state of global equilibrium in order to ensure that individual basic needs are provided, while ensuring equal opportunity for each person and initializing global development and global security so as to improve and sustain individual lives, (Axworthy, 2001). Human security focuses on the safety of persons, rather than defending the political and physical integrity of the nations from other nation’s military intimidation – which is seen as the traditional objective of national security. Human security and national security should be equally reinforcing, (Walt, 1999). Many people have lost their lives which is either an indirect or direct result of the behaviors of their governments or civil wars compared to invasion by foreign countries in the last 100 years, (Wolfers, 2009). Governments can really pose intimidation to human security while acting in the name of national security. Human security focuses its interest on threats starting from violence to society and individuals at risk. This concept is based on United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 1994 Human Development Report, (Roland, 2001). It is considered a landmark publication in the field of human security arguing that insuring liberty from fear and liberty from want for every individual is the best way in tackling the dilemma of world insecurity, (Snyder, 1999). Human security is an up-and-coming paradigm which helps us understand world vulnerabilities. Proponents defy the traditional idea of national security by arguing that individual security should be on the forefront as opposed to national security. Individuals’ view of security should consider regional, national and global stability with regard to human security, (Shurke, 1999). Dr .Mahbub ul Haq drew world awareness to the notion of human security in the United Nations Development program’s 1994 Human Development Report and he wanted to persuade the UNs 1995 World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen. The UNDPs 1994 Human Development Report defined human security to include global security in areas such as economic security, food security, environmental security, health security, personal security, political security and community security. Economic security can be defined as assuring basic income to persons, especially from remunerative and productive work. Only 25 percent of the globes persons are currently economically protected, (Snyder, 1999). This threat is more serious in developing nations but concerns rises also in the developed nations. Problems such as unemployment pose an important feature which underlies ethnic violence and political tensions, (King and Murray, 2001). Food security on the other hand is the ability for all persons to have both economic and physical access to essential food. United Nations said that food availability is not a major problem, but the problem underlies distribution and the purchasing power. Food is poorly distributed and the purchasing power is very low. Food security constraints have been dealt with in the past at global and national levels despite their limited results. United Nations suggested that the problems to be tackled should be related to income, work and access to assets, (Foong, 2001). Health security tries to provide minimum protection from unhealthy lifestyles and diseases. Many people in the developed countries were affected by diseases of the circulatory system while in developing nations; causes of death were parasitic and infectious diseases. Recently, many people worldwide are affected by lifestyle related chronic diseases. The United Nations said that, both in developed and developing nations, poor people especially those who live in rural areas are the most affected by poor health security. This is caused by insufficient access to clean water, health services and even other essential needs, (Scilla, Rifkind, Hearts and Minds, 2005). Personal security objective is to protect persons from bodily violence both internal and external, from sub state actors or violent individuals, from predatory adults or domestic abuse. Most persons from all nations are mostly affected by violent crime. Environmental security: environmental changes can pose a threat to national, global and even human security. This aims to protect persons from long and short term ravages of environment, deterioration of natural environment and man made threats in nature. One of the greatest environmental pressure in most developing nations is lack of accessing fresh water resources while in developed nations, air pollution posses the greatest threat. Another environmental security threat is global warming which is caused by emanation of green house gases, (Axworthy, 2001). Other environmental issues include: climate change, land degradation, and allocation and management of natural resources. These factors can cause conflict through exacerbating such causes as migration, poverty, infectious diseases and even small arms. For instance predictions by experts shows that climate change will lead to both social and physical changes such as natural disasters, human migration, low agricultural productivity among others, (Wolfers, 1962). As a result, these changes could affect international security through competition of natural resources which could result to unstable nations and at the same time rising humanitarian crises. Management of natural resources and environmental issues can however lead to peace and confidence through cooperation, (Roland, 2001). Political security deals with whether individuals reside in a community that honors their vital human rights. As per a research carried out by the Amnesty International, systematic torture, political repression disappearance or ill treatment still existed in as many as 110 nations. During times of political instability, Human Rights violations are mostly witnessed. Governments at these times try to take control over people’s information and ideas besides repressing them, (Foong, 2001). Community security: Many people get their security from members of a social group such as the community, family, political grouping, organization, or ethnic groups. Mostly, tension rises amongst these groups as a result of stiff competition to the limited resources and access to opportunities. Community securitys aim is to guard individuals from losing traditional relationships and from ethnic violence. Most minority traditional communities are usually threatened. About 50 percent of the globe nations have experienced in one way or another inter-ethnic strife. The year 1993 was declared by the United Nations the year of indigenous people which was meant to highlight the ongoing susceptibility of 300 million indigenous persons in 70 countries as they faced a broadening spiral of violence, (Katzenstein, 1996). Since that time, Human security has been supported by the most important world development institutions e.g. the World Bank. Since 1994, the concept human security has been transformed and manipulated so as to fit organizational wellbeing. Human security is the defense of the central core of human lives from dangerous and pervasive economic, environmental, health, and food, political and personal threats which poses a big threat to national security, (King and Murray, 2001). Human security is an essential condition for a state security. Most nations’ primary strategic aim is to attain assured security for its population. In this sense there is much more to security then than defense. Security covers the entirety of conditions enumerated in America’s security credo-the preamble to the constitution-but it’s not all about the ordinary protection, but most significantly justice, national unity, domestic tranquility, liberty and the general welfare. True security exists only if all these conditions exist, (Foong, 2001). If in any case one of these conditions is eliminated say one- liberty or may be the general welfare is compromised or sacrificed for another condition such as the common defense, then we can conclude that there is some degree of insecurity. In the ultimate analysis thus everything is related to national security and security. Broadly or narrowly defining security, we can say that whatever places it at risk or endangers it can be termed as a threat; and the constituents of these threats are vital because they help in determining the requirements that help in producing programs and capabilities for countering the threats, (Scilla, Rifkind, Hearts and Minds, 2005). Human security pertain freedom from want and freedom from fear. This is as per the argument of the United Nations development programm1994 report. Differences have cropped up over the scope of protection e.g. what threats should the persons be protected from and what are the best mechanisms to react to these threats. Freedom from fear: this theory confines the practice of human security to that of defending the persons from vicious conflicts and at the same time recognizing that these threats are associated with lack of a nation’s capacity, poverty and other inequalities. According to this approach, confining the focus to violence is manageable and realistic technique towards Human security. The main concerns of this technique include emergency assistance, peace building, conflict prevention, and conflict resolution. Canada for instance has integrated freedom from fear as an initial constituent in its foreign policy through its effort to veto landmines. Other examples include Darfurs conflicts, (Axworthy, 2001). Questions arise on the efficiency of Responsibility to protect as a primary constituent of freedom from fear practice. Freedom from want: the theory advocates a holistic technique in the achievement of human security. It argues that the risk program should be widened to include diseases, hunger and natural disasters as they are inseparable factors in addressing the bases of human insecurity and in addition they cause more lives than terrorism and genocide combined. This concept also focuses on security goals and development. These theories argue that, for security to exist, human security is essential. Lack of basic necessities, subjection to poverty, natural disasters, diseases, hunger and other inequalities are vital factors which poses a great threat to security in any state, (Scilla, Rifkind, Hearts and Minds, 2005). These factors may result to migration of people, increase in crimes which mostly affect the developing nations and especially those people who live in urban areas. Mahbub ul Haq explains the idea of human security “New imperatives of human security (1994). Haq says that human security is about people and individuals but not about nations or states. He argues that the world is entering a new ear in which the concept of human security will change to security in general. This means that security will be security of the people but not their nation’s security. He says that “we need to fashion a creative perception of human security that is reflected on the lives of the individuals not in the ammunitions of their country”. Haq writes that individual wellbeing and safety should be the core values that should be considered in maintaining human security, (Friman and Reich, 2007). This differs with the traditional notion of security which emphasizes on national independence and territorial integrity as the core values that requires to be protected. Human security concerns the well- being and safety of every individual at all places-in their jobs, in their homes, in their communities, in the streets and also in their environments, (Axworthy, 2001). These values can be threatened by diseases, poverty, drugs, and terrorism which can pose a major threat to security in general. He argues that human security can be achieved by factors such as development but not merely through arms. The new perception of security can be achieved through various steps: human development perception which emphasizes on sustainability and equity: peace, and economic restructuring, and new governance structured on reforms of various international organizations such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund and United Nations; and a growing global civil society. Conclusion The perception of human security obtained reinforces the significance of human security as an equipped approach to individual centered security that is able to categorize priorities. Human security has proven to be of significance in maintaining the general security of every state, (Axworthy, 2001). It provides political contributions in a post –conflict nation which helps in modeling the state into a more secure place for its people. On the other hand, issues such as environmental, health, personal, economic security and poverty among others can well be addressed by the state and through providing human security; they also contribute to a peaceful nation secure from internal conflicts. In conclusion, in order for a state to maintain general security, it must consider initially in providing human security to its people which is a core constituent of security, (Scilla, Rifkind, Hearts and Minds, 2005). References Paris, Roland, ‘Human Security: Paradigm Shift or Hot Air?’ International Security, vol. 26, no. 2, 2001, pp. 87-102. Axworthy, L., ‘Human Security and Global Governance’, Global Governance, vol. 7, no. 1, 2001, pp. 19-23. Elworthy, Scilla and Gabrielle Rifkind, Hearts and Minds. “Human Security Approaches to Political Violence”, London: Demos, 2005. Available online at: http://www.demos.co.uk/catalogue/heartsandminds/ Foong Khong, Y., ‘Human Security: “A Shotgun Approach to Alleviating Human Misery?’ Global Governance”, vol. 7, no. 3, 2001, pp. 231-236. Katzenstein, P. ‘Introduction: Alternative Perspectives on National Security, in Peter Katzenstein (ed.), The Culture of National Security: Norms and Identity in World Politics (New York: Columbia University Press, 1996), pp. 1-32. King, G. and C. Murray, ‘Rethinking Human Security’, Political Science Quarterly, vol. 116, no. 4, Winter 2001-2002, pp. 585-610. Shurke, Astri ‘Human Security and the Interests of States’, Security Dialogue, vol. 30, no. 3, 1999, pp. 265-276. Snyder, Craig (ed.), Contemporary Security and Strategy, London, Macmillan, 1999, ch.1. Walt, Steven, ‘Rigor or Rigor Mortis? Rational Choice and Security Studies’, International Security, vol. 23, no. 4, Spring 1999, pp. 5-48. H. Richard Friman and Simon Reich. 2007. “Human trafficking, Human Security, and the Balkans”. Univ of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN: 0822959747, 9780822959748. Mary Kaldor. 2007. Human Security: Reflections on Globalization and Intervention. New York: Polity, Publisher. ISBN: 0745638546, 9780745638546. Sorpong Peou. 2009. Human Security in East Asia: Challenges for Collaborative Action. Hong Kong: Taylor & Francis, Publisher. ISBN: 0415467969, 9780415467964. Wolfers, Arnold, ‘National Security as an Ambiguous Symbol’ in Arnold Wolfers, Discord and Collaboration, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1962, pp. 147-165. Read More