The human security approach

Transcription

1 The human security approach Observations from 20 years experience D E S G A S P E R I n s t i t u t e of 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 , N e w Y o r k

2 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; 2 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)

3 2. Adds a focus on vulnerability, to the foci on deprivation and dignity 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) 3 The people-focus involves also building people s skills and capacities to deal with insecurity: securitability. Securing involves empowering.

4 4 What is experienced as insecurity is: 1. contextual via intersections of many factors, so it varies across persons, classes, localities, times; Allows flexible exploration of lived experiences of insecurity People-centred 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. Comprehensive AND Context-specific Protection, prevention AND empowerment

5 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, 5 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)

6 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

7 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. 7 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.

8 The variety of Human Development Reports on Human Security (Gomez et al., 2013: New York: UNDP) 8 Comprehensive mapping reports State-building reports Citizen security reports (Other) Leadchallenge 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)

9 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

10 6. Very useful for focusing work on human impacts of environmental change and of migration 10

11 7. Helpful as a framework for looking at lives of women and marginal groups 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. 11

12 8. Reveals subjective dimensions and insights 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). 12

13 9. Helpful for looking comparatively at various insecurities Comparison is not so common: intellectually & politically challenging. Important potential contribution of human security analysis: estimate the impact on human security of alternative activities. 13 African Regional HDR 2012: military spending v. agricultural research spending

14 10. Alternation of focus 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 14 Work on selected priorities Comprehensive Mapping New comprehensive mapping

15 Review of the ten remarks 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 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