D E S G A S P E R

I n s t i t u t e o f S o c i a l S t u d i e s ( I S S - T h e H a g u e ) E r a s m u s U n i v e r s i t y R o t t e r d a m , N e t h e r l a n d s

R e m a r k s a t U N G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y ’ s T h e m a t i c D e b a t e ,

1 8 J u n e 2 0 1 4 , N e w Y o r k

The human security approach

Observations from 20 years experience

1. Human-centred: human security as sibling of human development & rights

Human Security thinking focuses on basic-needs priorities within the vast Human Development field

- contribution of Mahbub ul Haq;

HS thinking links to Human Rights, which are sometimes the appropriate form for HS objectives

“..anyone who speaks forcefully for human rights but does nothing about human security and human development—or vice versa—undermines both his credibility and his cause. So let us speak with one voice on all three issues” (Kofi Annan 2006)

2

2. Adds a focus on vulnerability, to the foci on deprivation and dignity

3

Human security approach’ thinks about security of all basic values for 1. all people, (and 2. communities), and 3. human species

So it includes not only humaner conventional security activities (military, police, financial)

The people-focus involves also building people’s skills and capacities to deal with insecurity: securitability. Securing involves empowering.

What is experienced as insecurity is:

1. contextual – via intersections of many factors, so it varies across persons, classes, localities, times;

2. often surprising; threats are unpredictable;

3. partly culturally and personally subjective – but with objective consequences.

So must be studied in context, with a flexible approach.

Allows flexible exploration of lived experiences of insecurity

4

People-centred

Protection,

prevention AND

empowerment

Comprehensive AND

Context-specific

Features of Human Security (-HD-HR) analysis

3: Context-specific and comprehensive

It uses a zoom lens, to look at how particular people actually live and can live

Plus a wide-angle lens, that stretches beyond national and disciplinary frontiers,

to explore the risks and pressures to which people’s lives are subject within global systems of interconnection (this is the ‘human security’

elaboration of the agenda of ‘human development’; HDRs of 1990, 1993, 1994; Mahbub ul Haq)

5

Interconnections & intersections of diverse factors need to study case-specifics

6

Hurricane Katrina victims were very largely: poorer people (Afro-

Americans), who lived on worse

land over 60’s: more than

60% of the 1800 deaths

THOSE WHO WERE ALL THREE

Patients in public care facilities: evacuated only after 5 days

4. Workable and useful framework in human-centred planning & development

Human security analysis is not only useful for the situation of fragile states. Human security is a common concern in all societies;

but its content is highly relative to the context.

Many Human Development Reports and other studies show that the human security approach is flexible enough to respond to differences, while retaining analytical power and advocacy power.

7

The variety of Human Development Reports on Human Security (Gomez et al., 2013: New York: UNDP)

Comprehensive mapping reports

State-building reports

‘Citizen security’ reports

(Other) ‘Lead-challenge’ reports

All primary threats to primary values

Focus on one priority threatened means: the State

Focus on threats to ‘personal security’ from crime, violence, drugs, accidents

Focus on selected context-specific primary threatened values

Arab Countries (2009) Benin (2011) Kenya (2006) Latvia (2003) Thailand (2009)

Afghanistan (2004) Democratic Rep. of Congo (2008) Palestine (2009/10)

Caribbean (2012) Costa Rica (2005) Philippines (2005) Bangladesh (2002)

Africa (2012) Chile (1998) the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (2001) Mali (2009) Senegal (2010)

8

5. Variety: Many possible sources of vulnerability Many big lines of work

Conflict Crime Gender violence Environment – e.g. UN

Institute for Envt. & HS ; IPCC AR5 chapter

Migration Social cohesion - e.g.

UNESCO on Western Europe; Chile & Macedonia HDRs

SO MUCH AND SO DIVERSE THAT HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF … Various new surveys.

9

6. Very useful for focusing work on human impacts of environmental change and of migration

10

7. Helpful as a framework for looking at lives of women and marginal groups

11

“The concept [of human security]…gave [people] a language to interject concerns about the kinds of interpersonal and structural violence [that] women experience into larger debates on security.” (Heideman 2013: 217).

In: Tripp, A.M., Ferree, M.M., Ewig, C. eds, 2013, Gender, Violence, and Human Security. New York University Press.

8. Reveals subjective dimensions and insights 12

Reporting on human security gains greatly by exploring both the ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ sides of threats and comparing them

Shows some fears are exaggerated AND some problems are overlooked.

Well illustrated in several Human Development Reports, e.g. on Benin (2011), Latvia (2003).

9. Helpful for looking comparatively at various insecurities

13

Comparison is not so common: intellectually & politically challenging.

Important potential contribution of human security analysis: estimate the impact on human security of alternative activities.

African Regional HDR 2012: military spending v. agricultural research spending

10. Alternation of focus 14

1. Comprehensive mapping studies: periodic review of national priorities

2. In-depth study & work on national priority areas for a particular phase

3. New comprehensive studies, to re-assess national priorities in changed situation

4. Next phase of in-depth study & work on the updated priority areas …

Comprehensive Mapping

Work on selected

priorities

New comprehensive

mapping

Review of the ten remarks 15

1. Human-centred: human security as sibling of human development & rights

2. Adds a focus on vulnerability, to the foci on deprivation and dignity

3. Adds focus on context and interconnection comprehensive analysis

4. Workable framework in human-centred planning & development

5. Variety: Many possible sources of vulnerability Many big lines of work

6. Particularly important as a way to focus work on human impacts of environmental change and of migration

7. Particularly helpful as a framework for looking at lives of women and marginal groups

8. Adds insights into and from subjective dimensions

9. Helpful for looking comparatively at different insecurities

10. Alternate the study focus