Human Security as a policy framework: Critics and Challenges

Abstract

Starting with the emergence of a human centered approach to security from the intersection of trends in security, development and human rights, this paper analyses the human security framework proposed by the Commission on Human Security (CHS), and tries to present and respond to the critics to human security. The main argument is that human security provides a suitable framework for international cooperation. Human security joins the main agenda items of security, human rights and development. Therefore taking up the proposal of the Commission on Human Security (CHS) the paper argues that in order to be effective a human security approach should be integrated: from those dealing with human rights and humanitarian concerns, those with security and those with development. Indeed human security has already proved its utility as a tool for policy analysis. The challenge is now to adopt human security as a policy framework where the security, human rights and development agendas are integrated. As the paper will show the problem has not been the objective of human security but the distortion of the human security agenda and goals for foreign and security policy priorities. Human security provides a suitable framework for international cooperation.

Published online: 11 December 2017