Publication

This paper discusses the relevance, trajectory and potential of human security twenty years after the concept was introduced in the UNDP Human Development Report of 1994. The author first reviews the meaning, relevance and evolution of the concept, as well as the global commitments that have been made to further it. He then argues that despite the need for an alternative to the traditional, state-centered security paradigm, the concept of human security still courts controversy. He outlines the reasons for this and defends the contributions the concept makes to human development, security and human rights frameworks. Finally, he discusses the concept's potential as a policy making tool, particularly for Norway.