Human Security Definition

INTRODUCTION

For the purpose of this paper we are going to discuss the concept of human security, the paper will be divided into three sections, the first section of the paper will be based on the definitions of human security to give the reader a better understanding of the concept, the second section will discuss the various characteristics of human security and the third section will discuss some of the challenges that pose a threat to human security. Last but no least we will have the conclusion that will sum up the points raised in the body of the paper.

HUMAN SECURITY

Human security, in its broadest sense, embraces far more than the absence of violent conflict. It encompasses human rights, good governance, access to education and health

Terrorism breeds an environment of despair, oppression and underdevelopment. It profits from the existence of weak states that lack the capacity to enforce law and order, and it flourishes in contexts of foreign occupation and regional instability. The terrorist attacks on US soil on 11 September 2001 highlighted the failure of states and security institutions to accompany and identify the global changes in the nature of threats. Technological advances that changed the way people communicate, the speed of information-sharing, rapid transportation and the erosion of borders have come to expose a larger amount of people to the great danger of terror campaigns. These innovations, designed to improve daily life, also mean that small groups of people without the support of a state or territory can inflict greater amounts of damage by transforming them into sophisticated instruments of aggression. Globalization and economic integration has levelled the playing fields for the developed and developing world as both are equally vulnerable to attacks and equally affected by attacks in other parts of the world . Another catastrophic threat to human security is the spread and potential use of nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological

When the state fails to ensure good governance, or when certain groups within states manipulate tools of survival, then violence may erupt. As already mentioned, over 1 billion people survive on less than US$1 a day, the majority living in either Africa or Asia. As many as 800 million people in the developing world are afflicted by food insecurity, and at least 24 million in developed and transition economies suffer daily from hunger . Provision of food is vital and countries that depend on international aid to satisfy this basic need are effectively insecure. Hunger is also reflective of other societal problems. When people go hungry they pull their children out of school, and cannot afford health care, heating or safe living conditions. They are without recourse, having no means to replace earnings when confronted with economic crises, natural disasters or conflicts. An improvement in nutrition leads to a higher level of productivity, which in turn means a move out of chronic poverty and allows for active participation in political, economic and social life. Human security improves when persistent levels of inequality are addressed, particularly when the poor benefit from a greater share in the income and wealth generated by economic