Global Issues & ODA

The 6th meeting of the Friends of Human Security (FHS) met on 4 June 2009 in New York under the co-chairmanship of Ambassador Yukio Takasu, Permanent Representative of Japan, and Ambassador Claude Heller, Permanent Representative of Mexico, with the co-sponsorship of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The FHS is an open-ended informal forum for Member States and UN organizations to promote human security discussions based on paragraph 143 of 2005 World Summit Outcome. In particular, the FHS pursues collaboration among Member States based on a common understanding of the notion. 93 Member States and 20 UN organizations participated in the meeting, which was the largest attendance since the FHS was established in October 2006. Mr. Paul Oquist, Senior Advisor to the President of the General Assembly spoke on behalf of the PGA and highlighted the importance of human security to tackle the global challenges. Mr. Vijay Nambiar, Chef de Cabinet, represented the UN Secretariat and introduced the activities of the UN, in particular the UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS).

Representatives from different Member States provided the participants with a synopsis on the main human security challenges for each of the following themes.

The United Republic of Tanzania and Thailand noted that the developing and the least developed countries found themselves most vulnerable to the negative impacts of the current financial and economic crisis. Soaring unemployment rates, sharp declines in international trade and volatile financial systems continue to undermine income of most governments thereby limiting the ability to allocate the necessary funds to ensure social safety nets as well as implement public policies in support of health care, education and other social-economic needs, including the MDGs.

The recent outbreak and now epidemic human influenza A (H1N1) was highlighted by Mexico and Vietnam as an important lesson on the need to ensure principles of transparency, solidarity and international cooperation when faced with health related threats. While national preparedness and response mechanisms can play an important role in mitigating the spread of transmissible diseases, the current situation offers an opportunity to learn, innovate and improve national health systems at the global level.

Chile and Timor-Leste, informed the participants that human security forms the conceptual framework that provides the cornerstone in the transition from conflict to sustainable peace.
Human security strengthens peacebuilding efforts by linking the provision of peace and security with advances on other key issues such as the reestablishment of basic services; the creation of an accountable and effective judiciary system; the restoration of core government functions; and the beginning of economic revitalization.

Women are often subjected to various forms of violence including sexual violence under conflict in the most egregious cases. This, noted the United States of America, is particularly relevant to the human security concept and its emphasis on the protection and empowerment of individuals. As echoed in the Security Council resolution 1325, women must be included in the process of achieving lasting peace. Domestic violence is also a pervasive reality and one where the human security concept can play a significant role in curtailing.