Health and Human Security

Latest News: The United Nations Hosted a High-Level Event on Human Security (17 May 2013) Read more... 

Background

This web site is intended to introduce and provide resources on Human Security and its relationship to Public Health, both conceptually and in intervention applications—and will be updated as new material becomes available.

The United Nations Commission on Human Security report, Human Security Now (2003), points to a paradigm shift from traditional notions of nation-based security, to a people-centered security approach with the goal of supporting three essential freedoms:

This is achieved through a people-centered, comprehensive, multisectoral approach for identifying critical and pervasive threats to individuals and communities, as well as for prevention focused action across two dimensions:

• Protecting the population
• Empowering the population to act

In the region of the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has embraced this people-centered human security approach and has produced various seminal documents over the last decade.  Most importantly, Directing Council Resolution CD50.R16, the first multilateral document of its kind endorsed by PAHO’s Member States in which it resolves to “…urge the Member States to continue to promote analysis of the concept of human security and its relationship with health, with a view to its incorporation into country health plans, pursuant to their national legislation, emphasizing coordination and multisectoral interagency participation to reflect the multidimensional aspects of such an approach.”  The resolution mandates the Secretariat to increase the dialogue on the concept and develop guidance for countries to implement it. 

Human Security and Public Health are deeply intertwined.  Conditions of insecurity, whether caused by sudden crises or chronic deprivations, lead to health deterioration and diminish people’s capacity to achieve and maintain their greatest level of health and wellbeing; and the direct and indirect effects of poor health, in turn, undermine the security enjoyed by individuals and communities.  Beyond its interdependence with health, human security is also a precondition for peace, state security, development and sustainability, thus it contributes significantly toward the success of efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and achieve sustainable development.

The principles and practices underlying human security and public health approaches are also deeply related.   Human security and public health both conceive of population threats broadly and seek to proactively address and prevent their root causes—often called social determinants—rather than treat their consequences.  Furthermore, the parallels between these approaches provide an aligning process to exercise the essential public health function of health promotion, and to strengthen the provision of services and the stewardship role of the public health system.  Human security aims at the satisfaction of the basic freedoms for all, and, as a consequence, it provides health an active role in development and human security.

Public health can also further advance human security by providing a natural basis for understanding the concept of human security, clearing up the concerns around its application, giving it the proper delineation from national security concerns, and illustrating its practice and added value.  Among these and other areas of synergy between public health and human security, we propose the following key areas where the functions of public health can be exercised to achieve maximum human security:

• The practice of health promotion, which emphasizes community empowerment and capacity building at the individual, family, and community levels, as well as across sectors to strengthen assets and address the social determinants of health;
• The focus on prevention practices which provides public health services an opportune position within the primary health care system, whose level of population access and reach is both direct and broad, and from which community members can be linked to multisectoral services:
• And stewardship practices to protect health, such as regulation, enforcement, information gathering, and communication activities, which often involve consensus-building and multisectoral collaboration and coordination in policy development and implementation
  

The need to adopt and begin operationalizing health and human security approaches is driven by the complex, interrelated nature of the most pervasive insecurities currently affecting the Region of the Americas.  Threats for which health and human security’s holistic and proactive approach is necessary include, but are not limited, to:

• Basic water and sanitation environmental threats in conjunction with toxic exposures,
• Nutrition insecurity
• Social gradient
• Occupational insecurity and labor risks for children
• The informal sector
• Housing and unplanned urban metropolitan growth
• Limited social protection on health
• Pervasive violence

There are additional  and emerging sources of insecurity in the Region that merit further attention, such as ubiquitous domestic and international migration of individuals and families  as well as  the impacts of climate change.  Important to note, disparities exist within and between populations, with vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and indigenous communities suffering disproportionately from the abovementioned and other threats to security.

As threats to security and health become increasingly complex, the urgency of the human security approach is increasingly clear; and, health and human security as an integrated approach represents and further advances the natural progression of the Human Security concept. 

Resources made available throughout the following sections of the Health and Human Security page are intended to provide updates on news and events, as well as resources and tools to further introduce key concepts and build understanding of the chronologic development of the Human Security concept and its relation to health. 

For New & Events, Information from the Regional Meeting and Documents please continue reading..... 

 

Questions? Please feel free to email us at HealthHumanSec@paho.org

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NEWS & EVENTS

17 May 2013 - United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security Seeks Proposals for Human Security Projects

The United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) is seeking applicants who are interested in receiving funding for human security projects. Concept notes for human security projects seeking funding must be received by 2 September 2013 to be considered in the next scheduled review.  See the UNTFHS call for proposals and proposal guidelines, as well as PAHO's technical reference document (ENG, ESP) for support.

17 May 2013 - The United Nations Hosted a High-Level Event on Human Security 

The UN High-Level Meeting on Human Security brought out members of the Advisory Board on Human Security and representatives from academia, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations.  Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon started off the meeting by discussing the importance of using the human security approach in development efforts.  In one of his most inspirational comments, he states: “You cannot end poverty without empowering women and girls. You cannot establish lasting peace without respect for human rights. You cannot increase prosperity or address climate change without transforming the world’s energy systems. We have to advance on all fronts.” 

Check out this brief video unveiled at the High Level Meeting that explains the concept of human security.

For more information about this meeting, the speakers, and their presentations, go to the UN page for this event. 

8 May 2013 - Huffington Post Article Discusses the Importance of Human Security in Addressing Complex Threats

Last week, the Huffington Post published an article written by Sadako Ogata focused on the importance of the use of human security in addressing complex threats.  This post explains the reason the United Nations Commission on Human Security was created, differentiates human security from state security, and links human security to the post-2015 development agenda.  Halfway through the article, Sadako Ogata also mentions that human security and the lessons learned from applying this approach will be the topic of a meeting with the United Nations on May 8th.  To read the article in its entirety, follow this link.

24 April 2013 - Countries of the Caribbean Promote Human Security as part of the Post-2015 Development Agenda

The countries of the Caribbean promoted human security, human development, citizen security, and human rights in their region as part of the post-2015 development agenda during a recent event held in March 2013 entitled Caribbean Forum: Shaping a Sustainable Development Agenda to Address the Caribbean Reality in the 21st Century.  The forum report compiled by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean discusses this topic in more detail.  You can read more about the Caribbean, human security, and the post-2015 development agenda here.

10 April 2013 - Call Issued to Link Human Security to the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda

The inter-linkages between human security and sustainable development were recently highlighted at the international NGO conference on Advancing the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda, held 20-22 March, 2013 in Bonn, Germany.  This meeting brought together civil society activists and key stakeholders to seek perspective on post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda priorities.  Participants reached two proposals on the linkage between sustainable development and peace and human security:

1. Peace and human security should be a priority of, and mainstreamed with the Post-2015 framework
2. Peace and human security issues are cross-cutting and should be integrated into other Post-2015 development priorities

These proposals may help pave the way toward wider recognition of the human security approach and the far-reaching, added value to be gained from its adoption as the international community acts to confront present and future challenges to sustainable development.  Read conference members' Statement on Peace and Human Security to learn more about human security-related discussions and consensus reached during this event.

1 April 2013 - United Nations Convenes High-Level Event on Human Security

The United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) is hosting a High-Level Event on Human Security on May 8, 2013.  The Heads of UN Agencies, Funds and Programmers along with key civil society organizations will gather to work on building the future of human security in the United Nations.  To see the concept note related to this event, click here.

News & Events in 2012

Read PAHO's  new commentary on Fostering Health and Human Security in the Americas, published online in the Fall 2012 issue of Global Health Governance  

PAHO's work in Health and Human Security was featured in the Fall 2012 Newsletter of the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS)! The issue spotlights Health and Human Security.

Read the Fall 2012 Newsletter on Health and Human Security here!

More information on the UNTFHS and efforts in Human Security can be found on their new webpage!

On September 10, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution A/66/L.55 on Human Security. The resoultion, the first on Human Security passed in General Assembly, notes the importance of the concept and its usefullness in assisting 'member states to identify and address widespread, cross cutting challenges to survival, liveliehood and dignity'.  For more details, find the entire Resolution below...

United Nations Resolution on Human Security, September 10

Health & Human Security Regional Meeting, Lima, Peru, September 3-13

PAHO/WHO and the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) co-hosted a Regional Meeting on Health and Human Security held in Lima, Peru, 6-9 September, 2012.  The event consisted  of a Symposium on Health and Human Security in the Americas on September 6, and was followed by by a Technical Workshop on the 7th of September, and a Strategic Planning Session on the 8th of September. 

Read the Regional Health and Human Security Meeting Report  

Listen to the Symposium recording in English, Spanish, or Portuguese via Elluminate 

Regional Meeting Symposium Agenda - September 6, 2012

Presentations:

Integration of Human Security into Public Policies

Presentation of the PAHO Report "Health and Human Security, Implications for Public Health 2012" 

United Nations: Briefing on the Report of the Secretary General on Human Security 

Mehrnaz Mostafavi, Officer-in-Charge, Human Security Unit, Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
*Update* UN Resolution A/66/L.55/rev1 Resolution on Human Security, Adopted Sept 10, 2012

Presentation of Case Studies: Experiences Integrating Health and Human Security

A brief Profile of all case presentations (Eng, Esp)

Guatemala: Reduction of Vulnerabilities to Contirbute to Rural Development in Five Municipalities in the Watersheds of Rivers in the Department of San Marcos

Guillermo Orozco, SDE, PAHO/WHO (Presentation in Spanish)

Brazil: Human Security Project in Sao Paulo 

Rodolfo Gomez Ponce de León (Presentation in Spanish)

Mexico: Education oriented intervention to improve resilience and empowerment of children and adolescents and their families (MARIPOSA)

(Presentation in Spanish)

Human Security Approach fro Global Health 

Professor Masamine Jimba

JICA Experiences in Health and Human Security in the Americas

How Can We Promote Human Security in Peru and the Americas?

Martha Hijar, Researcher, Fundación Entornos, Mexico

Ernesto Gozzer, Associate Professor, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Carlos Santos-Burgoa, Senior Advisor, Human Security, Coordinator, Environmental and Occupational Health, Sustainable Development and  Environmental Health Area (SDE), PAHO/WHO

Flavio Mirella, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Representative in Peru and Ecuador  (Presentation in Spanish)Dr. Ariel Frisancho, Coordinator of National ForoSalud, Peru

Human Security and Hansen's Disease

Arthur Custodio, MORHAN, Brazil (Presentation in Portugese)

For more informationin Spanish, and additional rescources, Please visit the PAHO Peru Simposio: Salud y Seguridad Humana en las Américas Page

Photos and Interviews from the Regional Meeting

You can view Live Tweets from the Meeting on Twitter by following @PAHOWHO and @OPSOMS_Per or search the hashtag #HumanSecurity or #SeguridadHumana.

For Event Photos, Explore our Picasas Album

Interview with Dr. Ana Riviere-Cinnamond: Health and Human Security
Lima, 5 August 2012 - Canal 7. Watch the Interview Here (En Español)

Entrevista al Dr. Carlos Santos Burgoa: Seguridad Humana, Salud y Desarrollo (06/09/2012) - Perú -RPP Noticias

Difundirán en Perú lineamientos de Seguridad Humana vinculados a la salud. (03/09/2012) Colombia -Portal Terra

Difundirán en Perú lineamientos de Seguridad Humana vinculados a la salud. (03/09/2012) Ecuador - La Hora Nacional 

Simpósio Regional de Saúde e Segurança Humana (Brazil)

Dr. Carlos Santos-Burgoa discusses human security,

health and development in interview with RPP News (listen)

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PAHO'S NEW COMMENTARY:

Read PAHO's commentary on Fostering Health and Human Security in the Americas, published online in the Fall 2012 issue of Global Health Governance  

DOCUMENTS & PUBLICATIONS (Available in Spanish and English)

Reports & Resolutions

PAHO's Health and Human Security: Implications for Public Health (ENG, ESP), Executive Summary (ENG, ESP)

Health and Human Security Brochure (ENG, ESP)

Read the Regional Health and Human Security Meeting Report  

Caribbean Forum: Shaping a Sustainable Development Agenda to Address the Caribbean Reality in the 21st Century (Report) (ENG)

United Nations Resolution on Human Security - 6 September 2012 (ENG, ESP)

United Nations, Follow-up to General Assembly resolution 64/291 on human security - April 2012 Report of the Secretary General (ENG, ESP)

UN Secretary General Report on Human Security 2010 (A/64/701) (ENG, ESP)

Pan American Health Organization: Resoultuion of the 50th Directing Council: Health, Human Security, and Well Being. (CD50.R16) 2010 (ENG, ESP)

Pan American Health Organization: Background Document: Health, Human Security, and Well Being.  (CD50/17) (ENG, ESP)

Pan American Health Organization: Annual Report of the Director 2010: Promoting Health, Well-Being, and Human Security. (ENG, ESP)

Background Paper for the General Assembly Thematic Debate on Human Security 2008 (ENG)

United Nations: In larger freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for all; Report of the Secretary-General. (ENG, ESP)

2005 World Summit Outcome Document (ENG, ESP)

United Nations Commission on Human Security: Human Security NOW. 2003 (ENG)

Organization of American States: Declaration on Security in the Americas. 2003 (ENG, ESP)

Pan American Health Organization: Health and Hemispheric Security. 2002 (ENG)

UNDP: New Dimensions of Human Security; Human Development Report. 1994 (ENG, ESP) 

Articles

Institute of Development Studies: Using Human security Principles to Develop a Post-2015 Framework. 2012 (ENG)

Takemi, K.: The Human Security Approach for Global Health. 2008 (ENG)

Chen, L.: Health as a Human Security Priority for the 21st Century. 2004 (ENG)

TOOLS & METHODOLOGIES

Hastings, D.: A Prototype Human Security Index. 2011 (ENG)

University of Kansas: Community Toolbox-Bringing Solutions to Light. 2012. (ENG)

United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security: Human Security in Theory and Practice. 2009 (ENG, ESP)

Links

United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security 

Japan Center for International Exchange