APPLYING THE HUMAN SECURITY APPROACH AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL 2 OCTOBER 2013 United Nations, New York   Shahrbanou Tadjbakhsh Human Security Concentration Master’s of Public Affairs, Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po, Paris) shahrbanou@yahoo.com

From foreign … to domestic policy So far, gains made from adoption of HS as FP: Shaping ODA policy Informing peacekeeping operations (military, etc) Peacebuilding agenda (resilience during crisis, etc) Support for specific issues (landmines, diamond certification, child soldiers, etc) Problem: For others Depends on good will of govts Piecemeal and not integrated

Question Why is the concept good enough for others and not for own societies? Is Human Security old wine in new bottle? Is there really an added value for domestic policy?

Simple answers Components not new: Freedom from fear (security), freedom from want (development) and freedom from indignity (human rights). But what is new: Inserting a “threats to humans” element to each of these traditional frameworks Putting them together in an inter-dependent way (breaking silos) Putting all these at the service of mankind (and not institutions)

Human Security adds to each component while building on the intersection between the three frameworks Human Development (HS adds insurance against risks) Human Rights (HS flips content from ‘Rights to’ to ‘Freedoms from fears’) Security (HS adds people focus)

To the traditional Security Framework … Introducing “people” in addition to states as answers to the 3 questions: Security of Whom?/What? Security from What? Security by what means?

Means State security depends on people/community security Defense/military/national security agenda broadened people to non-traditional threats Seeking root causes of insecurity in development and HR issues Protection of civilians

To the Human Development Framework… If Human Development is about widening people’s choices and ensuring growth with equity,… Human security is enabling people to exercise these choices safely and freely, and to be relatively confident that the opportunities they have today will not be lost tomorrow. (UNDP HDR 1994)

Means INSURANCE/SUSTAINABILITY: RESILIENCE: STABILIZATION Ensuring that development policies are accompanied by safety nets, insurance etc. so that when crisis hit, people do not suffer as much RESILIENCE: Building resilience for people to prevent or mitigate risks STABILIZATION Peace as a development strategy (MDGs) SUBJECTIVITY: Gauging/evaluating gains from point of view of how individuals feel safe

To the Human Rights Framework.. Focuses on conditions that allow HR to happen. Not just rights to, but freedom from (stability of threats)

Means Sees security as a right Brings flexible, yet context-specific frameworks for addressing insecurity through a widened range of actors and mechanisms Overcomes divide between civil/political and economic, social and cultural rights

The 4 principles for HS programming Policy norms rather than a legal framework People-centered Inter-connected hence comprehensive Context specific Preventive (Prevention oriented)

Addressing the 3 freedoms holistically HS principle Tools Why and how People centered Perspectives of people and their own assessment of insecurities and their capacities Proper disaggregation of people Participation at all stages of policy Empowerment through capacity building Impacts assessed against changes in security in their lives As opposed to institions Keeping the pulse, asking Understading Subjectivity Conditionality of adherence to insittutions and trade off on insecurities Inter-connected and comprehensive Addressing the 3 freedoms holistically Assessing positive and negative externalities in different domains Multi/inter-sectoral and comprehensive olicies/programs . Integrated approaches are the real challenges Integrated solutions otherwise we will do harm  

Indept knowledge about situation Context specific Indept knowledge about situation Perceptions and assessment of own populations linked to exisiting policies/institutions/processes People have different fears but fears nonetheless Applicability to north south Prevention-focused Policy/programming based on assessment of risks and vulnerabilities long-term solutions that address structural root causes Root cause analysis Consequences on to other areas Early action: Diplomacy 

Prevention as the ultimate goal For human security, is a child that did not die, a disease that did not spread, an ethnic violence that did not explode, a woman who was not raped, a poor person who did not starve, a dissident who was not silenced, a human spirit that was not crushed. Human security is not a concern with weapons. It is a concern with human dignity."

2 tools for using HS for programatic approaches 1) Human Security Analytical Framework (HSAF): to examine the causes and consequences of insecurities and conflicts 2) Human Security Evaluative Framework (HSEF) to  assess the possible responses by actors

1) HUMAN SECURITY ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK: The Inter-Sectorality and Externalities Analytical Framework To assess manifestations of impacts of insecurities on other domains… (to determine causes and consequences)

Vulnerabilities/Threats Economic Food Health Environmental Personal Community Political

2) HUMAN SECURITY PROGRAMATIC FRAMEWORK: For developing strategies and for evaluating intended and unintended consequences of actions in different domains

Possible interventions in the primary HS domain PRIMARY OBJECTIVE Possible negative externalities in the primary HS domain Possible externalities on OTHER insecurity domains SECONDARY OBJECTIVES Positive outcomes intended in other domains Negative possible potential outcomes unintended- possibility Economic security To create jobs Food security Health Security Family planning and HIV prevention

Case study: HS applied to Counter Terrorism More nuanced understanding of Causes Consequences Methods to prevent and counter

Causes of terrorism/extremism Traditional Security: Politically motivated Crime Supply (lax control, nexus with narco-trade etc) Human security: Security: Politically motivated Crime Development: Radicalization of unemployed HR: Marginalization, social exclusion, repression Focus not only on isolated criminals but also on conditions in society that feeds into or tolerates

Consequences Traditional security: Destabilization of state and system Fear in people Human security: Destabilization of state, system Fear in people for their survival and livelihoods Lack of dignity for victims and suspects

CT Methods Traditional security approach Order (police, army) Law (prosecution) Intelligence Human security approach Law and order Development (hearts and minds, employment, choices, opportunities) Human rights (inclusive governance, voices, dignity)

Case studies Case Study 2: Understanding and dealing with the problem of suburbs in France Case Study 3: Financial crisis Case Study 4: Ensuring gains made in development in Turkmenistan

The real challenges Itemization/issues approach Prioritization Silos turfs Prevention

Requirements Champions  Cross sectoral/ Integrated institutional frameworks Advisory groups or support networks of policymakers and academics to deveop tools and review policies Systematic review of policies Ability for policy to be flexible: Do no harm