In contrast to the traditional militarised security of states, the concept of human security focuses on security that is human-centred, and which acknowledges that many different and complex threats, such as the economic situation, physical violence, natural disasters, climate change and inequality, can also sometimes simultaneously cause insecurity to people. Human security has been particularly central to the EU’s civilian crisis management from the early 2000s. It has also been an important concept in the UN, but less so in UN peace operations. Furthermore, NATO has recently adopted a human security approach.
In a new CMC Finland Working Paper Human Security Today: Perspectives from Civilian Crisis Management, Research and Development Coordinator Nanna Hallikainen investigates how the concept of human security is currently defined in different international organisations, especially in the context of civilian crisis management. Through a questionnaire and interviews, data was collected on how civilian crisis management experts conceptualise and understand human security. The paper also reflects the relevance and redefinitions of human security on the broader level of international security.
While human security has become a term used in civilian crisis management, the definition is not widely explained to experts working with human security themes. Therefore, several competing understandings and definitions of human security exist. Furthermore, the concept of human security is not much talked about in civilian crisis management operations and secretariats unless they have specific structures or tasks involving the concept.
