The Human Security Crisis

The changing face of security in international relations

Jun 10, 2009

The face of security in international relations is changing. Instead of traditional ideas of security threatening world peace, we're now facing a 'human security' crisis.

Security is a core concept of international relations. It was once believed that the only threat to the security of a state is the threat of foreign invasion or attack and interstate war. That was the realist view. But human security is a liberal concept, focused on the individual rights and freedoms and requiring international cooperation in response to the challenges posed.

It is precisely for these reasons that we are driven towards broadening the focus of security beyond the state level and towards the individual level. This new approach to security is needed because the analytical frameworks that have traditionally explained wars between states are now largely irrelevant. This approach to security is called ‘human security’.

What is the Meaning of Human Security in International Relations?

Human security links all other major aspects of security that impact the individual together, to protect fundamental rights and freedoms. The concepts of political security, community security, food security, environmental security, personal security, economic security and health security are all pervasively and intrinsically linked. The United Nations Trust for Human Security describe the term as a “freedom from want” and a “freedom from fear”.

Many criticize the term of human security because of its tendency to try to encompass all factors that impact on the individual human being. For that reason, there is no one single unified definition of human security but it generally seeks to encompass the differing dimensions of security based on issues of poverty, war and conflict, human health, the environment, climate change and disaster, international crime and migration and displacement.

The concepts of human security are mutually reinforcing but distinct concepts. Just as the dimensions of human security are closely related for example, the spread of disease is a cause and consequence of poverty, which in turn is affected by economic development. Poverty can also be at the root of conflicts and war can be the cause and consequence of political corruption, human rights violations and forced migration and so on.

What Are the Major Issues in Human Security?

As we are beginning to see and will see more of in the future, the state of the environment undermines all dimensions of human security. Environmental disasters and climate change issues are causing food shortages, raising poverty, increasing conflicts over resources and adding to population stress from mass migrations and internal displacements of communities affected by environmental disaster.

Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme says that climate change is “magnifying existing disparities between rich and poor” and “aggravating tensions over fragile or increasingly scarce natural resources” such as productive land and freshwater.

The gap between the rich and the poor is spreading poverty more rapidly. The disparity is a major concern for global human health issues. A current example is the outbreak of swine flu across the world and the difference of the number of deaths in developing countries compared to those in developed countries.

What Does Human Security Mean for International Relations?

In essence, this broadening of security reflects the changing international environment. International relations is continually evolving and the concept of human security is increasingly being included high on the policy agendas of international organizations, governments and not-for-profit groups.

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The copyright of the article The Human Security Crisis in Global Security is owned by Natasha Malinda. Permission to republish The Human Security Crisis in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.