NATO STO

Human security is a concept within security studies focusing on the individual rather than state level. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP, 1994, pp. 24-25) most famously conceptualized “human security” over seven pillars: economic security, food security, environmental security, personal security, health security, community security and political security. These pillars address both freedom from fear and freedom from want. As such, human security embraces the idea that security cannot be achieved only through state security and military means, but also through providing security to the population. The idea had its roots in human rights and the concept grew out of the ashes of the many non-international armed conflicts in the 1990s, along with the post-Cold War context. The attempt was to provide rights to individuals as a means to prevent future conflicts (Remacle, 2008). While human security is certainly an international development concept, it is also relevant in terms of security and conflict, because human security emphasizes protection of civilians in military operations (Kaldor et al., 2007). It additionally offers new perspectives on addressing conflict (Kaldor, 2022). The contemporary relevance of the concept is evident in light of the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, as reports of Russian violent acts against the civilian population are coming in.