International

Relation

Human Security

Belal M.M Shobaki •

G0916111 •
 The Traditional Security
In the past, the security concept was
limited to traditional issues including
keeping the national security from any
risks that may threaten the state unity
geographically, and its political stability.
The security was connected to owning
and managing power to repel any
possible risks, or to reinforce the national
security.
 Cont’
For a long time, the security concept was used to indicate
the security of the state borders against external
aggression, or protecting the national interests in the
foreign politics. And by the end of the cold war, this
concept has become irrelevant for most people, who
consider the insecurity a result from the daily-life
problems, more than being a result from fear of global
problems. for many people, security becomes a symbol of
protection from hunger, diseases, unemployment, crimes,
social conflict, political repression, and environmental
risks.
 There are two essential
components of the security:

Freedom from fear,(traditional).

Freedom from the need, and fear

 The traditional security- Freedom
from fear

“ The traditional concept of security is

linked to the state. The notion of
security has traditionally entailed the
protection of the state: its boundaries,
its people, and its institutions”

The Human Security Initiative, Available at:

http://www.humansecurityinitiative.org/
 Cont’
But what
But what isis observed
observed in in each
each shift
shift stage
stage inin the
the
international situation,
international situation, isis that
that the
the security
security concept
concept
isis changing
changing and and expanding
expanding to to include
include other
other
aspects, which
aspects, which indicates
indicates thethe emergence
emergence of of new
new
types of
types of risks
risks that
that threaten
threaten thethe countries’
countries’ national
national
interests. Arnold
interests. Arnold Welfers
Welfers defines
defines the the security
security
concept as
concept as ““ the
the absence
absence of of any
any threat
threat towards
towards
acquired values,
acquired values, itit means
means the the absence
absence of of fear
fear of
of
being prejudice
being prejudice to to any
any of
of these
these values.
values. Based
Based on on
what isis above,
what above, we we can
can say
say that
that the
the security
security concept
concept
extends to
extends to include
include otherother aspects
aspects rather
rather than
than the
the
military ones.
military ones. ItIt includes
includes thethe economic,
economic, cultural
cultural
and environmental
and environmental interests.
interests.
 The Improvement Of the security
concept

The expansion
The expansion inin the
the security
security concept
concept appears
appears
clearly in
clearly in studies
studies criticism,
criticism, which
which connect
connect the
the
security concept
security concept toto wars.
wars. John
John Galtung
Galtung finds
finds
that security
that security must
must have
have aa positive
positive
significance; he
significance; he says
says that
that itit should
should be
be
connected to
connected to positive
positive oror stable
stable peace
peace rather
rather
than wars.
than wars.
Zaqaq,Adel,
Zaqaq, Adel,Reformulating
Reformulatingthe
theSecurity
SecurityConcept,
Concept,Available
Availableat:
at:
http://www.geocities.com/adelzeggagh/recon1.html
http://www.geocities.com/adelzeggagh/recon1.html
 Cont’
Theexpansion
The expansionininthe
thesecurity
securityconcept
conceptremained
remainedlimited
limitedtotothe
the
qualitativeaspect
qualitative aspectin
interms
termsof of security
securitymultiple
multipleaspects,
aspects,such
such
asthe
as theeconomic,
economic,water,
water,and andenvironmental
environmentalsecurity.
security.Then
Thenthis
this
conceptexpands
concept expandshorizontally
horizontallyto toexceed
exceedthethesecurity
security
traditionalconcept
traditional conceptthat
thatisisrelated
relatedtotothe
thenational
nationalstate
stateand
and
interests.With
interests. Withthe
theimprovement
improvementof ofthe
theinternational
internationalrelations
relations
andthe
and theemergence
emergenceof ofnon-state
non-stateactors,
actors,the
thesecurity
securitybecomes
becomesaa
conceptwhich
concept whichthe
thecountries
countriescan’t
can’tachieve
achievewithout
without
internationalcooperation,
international cooperation,especially
especiallyafter
afterthe
theemergence
emergenceof of
humansecurity
human securitysuch
suchasasenvironmental
environmentalsecurity.
security.
 Security, horizontally and vertically

The security
The security concept
concept expands
expands vertically
vertically in
in terms
terms ofof
the aspects
the aspects itit includes,
includes, andand horizontally
horizontally in in terms
terms ofof
the space
the space itit occupies.
occupies. ItIt expands
expands from from the
the national
national to to
the regional
the regional and and then
then toto the
the international
international security
security to to
finally the
finally the global
global and and human
human security.
security.Based
Based on on this,
this,
the change
the change in in the
the agenda
agenda of of the
the international
international
relations isis something
relations something expected;
expected; itit becomes
becomes clearer
clearer
that the
that the focus
focus of of the
the international
international community
community isis on on
new security
new security issues
issues like
like the
the environment
environment issues,
issues,
population explosion,
population explosion, immigration,
immigration, refugees,
refugees, andand
terrorism.
terrorism.
 New labels of security
•• Human
Human security.
security.
•• Global
Global security.
security.
•• comprehensive
comprehensive security.
security.
•• Mutual
Mutual security.
security.
•• Security
Security Partnership.
Partnership.
Samouhi Fawq
Samouhi Fawq el’adah,
el’adah, AA Dictionary
Dictionary ofof Diplomacy
Diplomacy and
and International
International Affairs,
Affairs, (Beirut
(Beirut
Lebanonlibrary,1996),
Lebanon library,1996),389,
389,
.Zaqaq,Adel
.Zaqaq, Adel
Samouhifawq
Samouhi fawqeladah,
eladah,274
274
 Globalization and human
security

Globalization has
Globalization has aa role
role in
in the
the emergence
emergence of of
the human
the human security
security concept,
concept, duedue toto opening
opening
borders between
borders between countries
countries to to facilitate
facilitate moving
moving
trade, and
trade, and creating
creating the
the global
global economy.
economy. TheThe
international economy
international economy studies
studies show
show that
that the
the
economic globalization
economic globalization maymay create
create unstable
unstable
economic systems.
economic systems.
Arafa,Khadija,
Arafa, Khadija,shifts
shiftsininthe
theconcept
conceptofofsecurity,
security,human
humanfirst,
first,2003,
2003,Available
Availableat:
at:
www.islamonline.net/arabic/mafaheem/2003/09/article01.shtml
www.islamonline.net/arabic/ mafaheem/2003/09/article01.shtml
 Human Security
“Human security as a concept evolved out of a
1994 United Nations Development Programme
Human Development Report by Dr. Mahbub ul Haq.
The report defined it as a universal concern, based
on an interdependent reality, people-centred and
focussing on early prevention, rather than later
intervention. It covers seven key areas of security:
economic, food, health, environmental, personal,
community and political security.”
Dennis Altman and Gerhard Hoffstaedter, What is human security,( Australia: La Trobe University),
Available at: www.latrobe.edu.au/humansecurity/assets/downloads/what-is.pdf

UNDP Human Development report 1994

 Cont’
“ Human security can be a bridge between national concerns
and international and globalised problems. The nation states
remain key players in delivering human security, assisted and
critiqued by civil society and non-governmental agencies.
As Winslow and Erikson (2004) argue, human security offers
a means of getting ‘back to basics’ in studying identity
networks and their functions. This opens new and
interdisciplinary avenues of enquiry in how people’s
relational security can be conceptualised. This will, in time,
have policy impact, especially in light of changes in the
delivery of development aid and assistance.”
Dennis Altman and Gerhard Hoffstaedter, What is human security,( Australia: La Trobe
University), Available at: www.latrobe.edu.au/humansecurity/assets/downloads/what-is.pdf
 Cont’
“Human security focuses on the protection of
individuals, rather than defending the physical and
political integrity of states from external military
threats – the traditional goal of national security.
Ideally, national security and human security
should be mutually reinforcing, but in the last 100
years far more people have died as a direct or
indirect consequence of the actions of their own
governments or rebel forces in civil wars than
have been killed by invading foreign armies.
Acting in the name of national security,
governments can pose profound threats to human
security.”
Alkire, Sabina, A Conceptual Framework for Human Security, (U.K: Centre
for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity, CRISE, 2003)
 Human security features
Comprehens
ive and
global

Integral

Based on
prevention
Involve
d in
human
lifestyle UNDP Human Development report 1994
 Water security
Every day, 2 million tons of human waste are disposed of in water
courses.
In developing countries, 70 percent of industrial wastes are dumped
untreated into waters where they pollute the usable water supply.

Contribution of the food sector to the production of organic water

pollutants:
- High income countries: 40 percent
- Low-income countries: 54 percent
Projected increases in fertilizer use for food production and in
wastewater effluents over the next three decades suggest there
will be a 10-20 per cent global increase in river nitrogen flows
to coastal ecosystems.
Between 1991 and 2000 over 665,000 people died in 2,557 natural disasters
of which 90 percent were water-related events.
World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) , Available at:
http://www.unwater.org/statistics_pollu.html
Ibid.
 Water security
Figures of
Figures of the
the specialized
specialized research
research centers
centers indicate
indicate that
that water
water
isisavailable
availableon onthe
theglobal
globallevel;
level;this
thisraises
raisesquestions
questionsabout
aboutthe
the
challenges that
challenges that face
face the
the global
global water
water security.
security. ButBut these
these
questions fade
questions fade when
when we we know
know that
that water
water isis rare
rare in
in many
many
regions, meaning
regions, meaning that that the
the water
water global
global distribution
distribution isis not
not
equalwhich
equal whichisisaapart
partofofwater
waterchallenges.
challenges.
The quantity
The quantity ofof water
water onon earth
earth isis only
only 1360
1360 million
million cubic
cubic
kilometers.
kilometers.
Thefresh
The freshwater
waterisis3737million
millioncubic
cubickilometers.
kilometers.
Riversand
Rivers andglaciers
glaciersare
are75%.
75%.
77million
millioncubic
cubickilometer
kilometerarearegroundwater.
groundwater.

Ashram,Mahmoud,
Ashram, Mahmoud,Water
Watereconomies
economiesininthe
theworld,
world,(Lebanon:
(Lebanon:Arab
Arabunity
unitycenter,
center,
2001)28.
2001) 28.
 The most important challenges of water
security

High water
High water costs:
costs:
The water
The water high
high cost
cost as
as aa result
result of
of the
the high
high cost
cost
of extracting,
of extracting, desalinating
desalinating or or distributing
distributing
water, constitute
water, constitute aa heavy
heavy burden.
burden. What
What makes
makes
these high
these high costs
costs aa global
global issue
issue isis that
that the
the
countries which
countries which suffer
suffer from
from high
high cost
cost ofof water
water
are not
are not distributed
distributed on
on different
different places;
places; they
they all
all
are within
are within the
the same
same region.
region. Moreover,
Moreover, they they
often rely
often rely on
on common
common resources
resources of of water
water
which makes
which makes conflicts
conflicts something
something possible.
possible.
 The most important challenges of
water security

Thechallenges
The challengesof
ofwater
watersupply
supplymanagement:
management:

Watersupply
Water supplymanagement
managementincludes:
includes:the
thesearch
searchfor
fornew
newwater
water
resourceson
resources onboth
bothlocal
localand
andinternational
internationallevels.
levels.Water
Watersupply
supply
managementrequires
management requiresdeveloping
developingworld
worldirrigation
irrigationinvestment,
investment,
andencouraging
and encouraginginternational
internationaldonors
donors(like:
(like:the
theWorld
WorldBank)
Bank)
toincrease
to increasethe
thewater
waterinvestment
investmentprojects’
projects’loans,
loans,such
suchas
as
dams,the
dams, theinfrastructure
infrastructurefor
forwater
waterdistribution,
distribution,developing
developingthe
the
useof
use of groundwater
groundwaterin inthe
thefarms,
farms,making
makingmaximum
maximumuse useof
of
surfacewater,
surface water,and
anddesalinating
desalinatingwater.
water.
.Ibid,39
.Ibid, 39
Ibid,40-53
Ibid, 40-53
 The most important challenges of
water security
Challenges of
Challenges of water
water demand
demand management:
management:
Water demand
Water demand management
management includes
includes new
new policies
policies
aimat
aim at using
using water
water effectively
effectively inin aa way
way reduces
reduces the
the
wasted water
wasted water amount.
amount. What
What makes
makes this
this part
part (water
(water
demand management)
demand management) important
important isis the
the high
high rate
rate of
of
water loss,
water loss, which
which isis distributed
distributed on on surface
surface
evaporation, plants’
evaporation, plants’ transpiration
transpiration andand pollution
pollution ofof
surface water
surface water andand groundwater.
groundwater.
.Ibid,54
.Ibid, 54
 The most important challenges of
water security

Water problem
Water problem extends
extends to
to include
include other
other global
global
issues. For
issues. For instance,
instance, any
any country
country may
may suffer
suffer
from water
from water scarcity
scarcity but
but the
the reason
reason may
may bebe the
the
water pollution
water pollution by by human
human activities
activities which
which are
are
carried out
carried out inin many
many countries
countries of of the
the world,
world,
and their
and their impact
impact extends
extends to to other
other countries.
countries.
 The most important challenges of
water security

Water scarcity
Water scarcity in in some
some regions
regions means
means aa threat
threat
to the
to the food
food security
security of
of many
many countries
countries whichwhich
rely on
rely on each
each others.
others. So,
So, this
this problem
problem can’t can’t be
be
considered local,
considered local, and
and duedue to
to the
the complex
complex
overlap in
overlap in the
the countries’
countries’ relations,
relations, itit becomes
becomes
impossible to
impossible to separate
separate the the countries’
countries’
problems. This
problems. This requires
requires establishing
establishing
institutions to
institutions to face
face such
such problems
problems
internationally.
internationally.
GLOBAL HUNGER
•925 million people do not have enough to eat - more than the populations
of USA, Canada and the European Union;
(Source: FAO news release, 14 September 2010)
•98 percent of the world's hungry live in developing countries;
(Source: FAO news release, 2010)
•Asia and the Pacific region is home to over half the world’s population and
nearly two thirds of the world’s hungry people;
•(Source: FAO news release, 2010)
•Women make up a little over half of the world's population, but they
account for over 60 percent of the world’s hungry.
(Source:  Strengthening efforts to eradicate hunger..., ECOSOC, 2007)
•65 percent  of the world's hungry live in only seven countries: India,
China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan
and Ethiopia. 
(Source: FAO news release, 2010)

World Food Programme, Hunger, 2010, Available at: http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats

 Food Security
Food security
Food security isis considered
considered oneone ofof the
the most
most
important issues
important issues inin the
the world.
world. International
International
organizations show
organizations show anan increase
increase interest
interest in
in this
this issue,
issue,
such as;
such as; Food
Food and
and Agriculture
Agriculture Organization
Organization (FAO)(FAO)
which concerns
which concerns with
with the
the development
development studies
studies in in this
this
aspect. In
aspect. In addition
addition to
to the
the international
international committees
committees
like Committee
like Committee on on World
World Food
Food Security
Security (CFS),
(CFS),
which concerns
which concerns with
with hunger
hunger issues
issues and
and poverty.
poverty.
Committeeon
Committee onWorld
WorldFood
FoodSecurity,
Security,29
29ththmeeting,
meeting,Rome,
Rome,1212thth-16
-16ththMay
May2003,
2003,Available
Availableat:
at:
http://www1.fao.org/ar-cp/unfao/bodies/cfs/cfs29/CFS2003-a.htm
http://www1.fao.org/ar-cp/unfao/bodies/cfs/cfs29/CFS2003-a.htm
Mansour,Mamdouh,
Mansour, Mamdouh,The
Thepolicies
policiesofofInternational
InternationalAlliance,
Alliance,(Cairo:
(Cairo:Madbouly,
Madbouly,1997)
1997)6868
 The goals of the international
cooperation against hunger

Reinforcing the regional and international commitment to face

hunger.

Creating a discussion forum on the alternatives solutions to

reduce hunger.

Increasing the countries’ participation and contribution in

this activity.

Encouraging countries to take mutual measures between

governments and international organizations.
Ibid.
 Environmental Security
Thisregional
This regionalandandinternational
internationalconcern
concernininthe
theenvironment
environment
problemsappeared
problems appearedthrough
throughstrategic
strategicstudies
studiesunder
underthe
theterm
term
“theenvironment
“the environmentsecurity”.
security”.This
Thisconcept
conceptdeals
dealswith
withtwo
twomain
main
points:
points:
First:the
First: theenvironmental
environmentalfactors
factorswhich
whichlead
leadto
toconflicts.
conflicts.
Second:the
Second: theglobal
globalenvironmental
environmentaldegradation
degradation and
andits
itsimpact
impact
onthe
on thecommunities’
communities’luxury
luxuryand
andthe
theeconomical
economicaldevelopment.
development.

Thestudies
The studiesdiscuss
discussthe
theassumption
assumptionthat
thatthe
theincreasing
increasing
pressureon
pressure onsupporting
supportinglife
lifesystems
systemson
onearth,
earth,and
andthe
the
excessiveconsumption
excessive consumptionof ofthe
therenewal
renewalnatural
naturalresources,
resources,
threatenhuman
threaten humanhealth
healthand
andluxury.
luxury.
Abdulhadi,Nawel,
Abdulhadi, Nawel,Environmental
EnvironmentalSecurity,
Security,Available
Availableat:
at:
www.policemc.gov.bh/reports/2008/...9.../633589849991698529.doc
www.policemc.gov.bh/reports/2008/...9.../633589849991698529.doc
GarrettHardin,
Garrett Hardin,"The
"TheTragedy
Tragedyofofthe
theCommons",
Commons",Science,
Science,Vol.
Vol.162,
162,No.
No.3859
3859(December
(December13,
13,
1968),
1968),
 Security from Terrorism
Traditional in terms of fearing, and non- traditional in
terms of the new players (non state actors)

Despite the
Despite the fact
fact that
that terrorism
terrorism isis not
not the
themost
most
dangerous security
dangerous security issues
issues onon the
the international
international level,
level,
itit captures
captures thethe attention
attention ofof the
the international
international
community. The
community. The international
international fusions
fusions took
took many
many
procedures to
procedures to face
face what
what isis called
called ““ terrorism”.
terrorism”. This
This
may because
may because terrorism
terrorism issue
issue isis connected
connected to to political
political
interests.
interests.
 Security from Terrorism

Also,ititshould
Also, shouldbebenoted
notedthat
thattargeting
targetinggreat
greatpowers
powersin inthe
the
worldby
world byterrorism,
terrorism,isisthe
themain
mainreason
reasonofofbeing
beingthe
themost
most
importantissue
important issuein
inthe
theinternational
internationalagenda.
agenda.Many
Manycountries
countries
formits
form itspolicy
policyaccording
accordingto toits
itsrelation
relationwith
withsuperpowers;
superpowers;in in
thiscase,
this case,the
theU.S.A
U.S.Aleads
leadsthe
theinternational
internationalcampaign
campaignagainst
against
terrorismbased
terrorism basedononits
itsinterests
interestsand
andpolitical
politicalview.
view.This
Thismeans
means
thatmost
that mostcountries
countries support
supportAmerica
Americato toprotect
protecttheir
theirinterests
interests
withit.
with it.
Mustafa,Nadia,
Mustafa, Nadia,The
Theattacks
attackson
onU.S
U.Sand
andthe
theworld
worldfuture,
future,2001,
2001,Available
Availableat:
at:
http://www.islamonline.net/arabic/politics/2001/09/article14.shtml
http://www.islamonline.net/arabic/politics/2001/09/article14.shtml
RobertHutchindz,
Robert Hutchindz,the
theworld
worldinin2020,
2020,How
Howdoes
doesthe
theCIA
CIAsee
seeit?,
it?,2005,
2005,Available
Availableat:
at:
www.islamonline.net/Arabic/ politics/2005/02/article08.shtml
www.islamonline.net/Arabic/ politics/2005/02/article08.shtml