International Symposium on Human Security
"Human Security - Its Role in an Era of Various Threats to the International Community"

February 25, 2003

Concluding Session: Mrs. Sadako Ogata

First of all, I would like to thank Ms. Tsuchiya, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, for her opening remarks. She emphasized that all people have the right to live in dignity; this is a very important point.

Discussions were so rich and varied that I cannot really summarize. However, I think I will be able to touch on some of the main salient points. There was a wide recognition that the international environment was changing. And this had to be reflected in the conceptualization of security. The need for broadening security concept to include human security was, I think, widely understood. Most participants, most questions reflected this basic understanding. There was also an understanding of the nature of violence and conflicts. There was a lot of emphasis on interdependence as a condition and also as a goal.

Globalization was also taken as an assumption and the impact of globalization was also changing relationship between peoples, communities and societies. Opportunities are expanding because of the globalization. But at the same time, everything is spilling over, eroding the state power. This is the condition on which we were discussing the importance of human security. The core element of human security was very much grasped by the message that Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent to this meeting, who presented it very concisely. Security is not only to be seen in military terms. It should be seen in terms of absence of conflict, social justice, respect of human rights and the rule of law.

These are all aspects of security that we should be looking at. There were high priority needs of the poor, of the excluded people, the victims of war; these are all relevant aspects of security. The Commission's message is that the people are the main carriers of security. When a news reporter asked me: "Who are the people?" I said: "you and me." You are the people. And so it is human security for us that we should be thinking of.

We are all refocusing on state security, but we are not trying to replace state security. The role of state is important. Doctor Surin very wisely answered to some questions in this symposium. And he was to say this: we are not replacing state security. But also, state has to open up to the participation of security establishment. Dialogues with NGOs therefore are very very important. People are central. By people as I said "you and me," it means not only individuals but also communities. My Co-Chair, Amartya Sen, has argued that our identity is also determined by different communities we are members of. And this is the fact that has to be recognized. So it means security of individuals, security of communities, security of peoples.

Gender was also an issue. Communities of women and men. Women have been the bearer of strengthening security, that was widely emphasized and recognized. And I'm very grateful for Sonia Picado for pounding on this point for all of us. By empowering women, you really empower communities.

The key strategies of human securities are "protection and empowerment." Protection is top-down. Empowerment is bottom-up. Governance, as referred to by Mr. Ishikawa, is really top-down and bottom-up combined. Protection against downside risks is something that the Commission was very much aware of and this message was passed on in the course of today's symposium. Also, when we say downside risks, it's not sufficiently recognized that insecurities facing people are not aberrations or irregularities. But it is almost an integral part of human life against which people had to be protected.

Respect for human rights was the message that the Commission brought and I think this was accepted and understood. At the center of human security is human rights. And there are universal values regardless of culture and civilization based on human rights that all have to recognize and have to have hold. Putting human rights in the human security agenda-not only political human rights but also economic, social and cultural rights-would bring more security to people. There was a call for the end of impunity which I think was also accepted widely.

Human security also has a preventive message. It is promoting prevention, and this prevention goes in many directions. On one side, it is a way to prevent conflicts and other downside risks. And also we should consider community building. Bottom-up approach is very much at the center of prevention of misery, poverty and also conflicts. We also emphasize the importance of democracy as a key concept. People can start participating and be accountable in a democratic, bottom-up setup. There are also various aspects of democratic institutions that we widely discussed. In this context, we did not succeed in conveying the importance of "citizenship" as a basic right and basic assurance of security and this is an aspect that we will be exploring more.

I was very happy that during the course of the symposium, participants brought in many different perspectives from their own past experiences. They came from wide range of countries: Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Japan. There was a wide range of background, experience that added to the multiple ways of thinking through which human security can be and should be enhanced.

I'd like to make some points of key policy objectives for which we, the Commission, worked hard and we were able to pass on. First is protecting people under conflict, civilians mostly, from proliferation of arms, large and small. People also have to be protected from transnational crimes, focusing on human trafficking, drugs and so on. These are very important policy objectives that have to be obtained.

We have to support people on the move. Many people are moving in today's globalization. Refugees move, internally displaced people move but a lot of economic migrants are also moving. There is no sufficient protection mechanisms for international migration issue. There is an attempt to create a framework for protection and normative framework. And the Commission is very much in favor of moving along towards that direction. The transition from conflict to peace is very much an important aspect of security that we should be looking in. Because if successfully managed, this move from war to peace leads to development and more prosperity.

We discussed trade and markets in a way that can enhance human security. If markets and economic growth are managed in a way that enhances human security, that is a good way of overcoming poverty. We all agree to ensuring access to basic health care, controlling infectious diseases, poverty. Long-term poverty and illness result from conflict but also add to misery that result from long-term illness. We were also very attentive to the need to develop an efficient and equitable global system for intellectual property rights. We all emphasized the need to empower people through universal education, focusing on curriculum and quality of education, in order to promote diversity, respect for human rights.

Where do we go from now? The Commission's work is coming to an end. But actually the real work starts now. This is not the end of the Commission's exercise but perhaps the beginning of the end of the commission's exercise, in a sense that we are handing over the messages to all of you here. There will be a lot of resistance that we probably have to overcome. The message is very clear. Sovereignty is no longer the answer to all sorts of obstacles that we face in the interdependent world.

Various speakers stressed the shared responsibility. We have the responsibility to seize the opportunities and move along the line that we have agreed upon and decided to promote. I think my colleagues of the Commission expressed certain optimism. Peter Sutherland, Surin Pitsuwan, they all recognized the difficulties but there was a tone of optimism which was very refreshing and encouraging to me. But we also need leaders to carry on the torch-individuals, NGOs, government, legislative leaders-they all have to lead in this direction.

We were encouraged by many concrete examples that were shown: question of NGOs came up very much. We look to the liberating effects by NGOs perhaps more than we look to the leadership from states. That is the impression I got from this symposium. We should have thought more about the role of business community. Because corporations can make a big difference through their social responsibility, implementation, they can be participants in making the world much more secure and profitable for everybody concerned.

We were also encouraged by the presence of the representatives from the international community, international organization, UNDP, UNHCR, and many others. I mentioned the operational agencies as well as NGOs, because you are the ones who can take the message of the Commission to the people in the actual field.

I think it is very important that we recognize multilateralism. Peter Sutherland was very strong in insisting multilateralism. Something that the world has worked for for the last 50 years. We are getting there but it is still very fragile. Don't break multilateralism. Because if we are going to put the human security agenda on the international scene, then it will have to be based on the multilateral cooperation.

There are many things we have to do from now. The report of the Commission will be published. I hope in a nice form, not too heavy book but in a nice form readable way in the next 2, 3 months. And we would like to take the report to various international organization meetings and we count very much on Prime Minister Koizumi and Security-General Kofi Annan to help take this message to the various important groups and meetings.

I would just like to say a few words about Japan. I am glad that Japan took the initiative to pursue the issue of human security. Especially in the last 3 hour program, there was a great deal of explanation given by Mr. Keizo Takemi and Mr. Kaoru Ishikawa among others about what they as Japanese leaders expect from the human security initiative as really a policy tool. I hope that Japanese government's development and humanitarian assistance policy will be qualitatively strengthened by the human security concept. Their comments make me feel that this is exactly what the way they are expecting.

The one thing that has to be done is to improve the current compartmentalization of the way ODA is being implemented. And in this connection, we hope very much that in the management of Human Security Trust Fund that Japan has given to the United Nations to be used by various UN agencies. Whenever there are joint projects proposed by several or more than one agency, we should give priority, consideration to this application because human life is not compartmentalized. It is continued and it is very important that various agencies work together. Peace keeping operations, children agency and also researcher agencies have to really work together if you really want to accomplish the objectives that human security challenges. And in this sense, I think human security should be a way of breaking down the vertical barriers that exist not only within the Japanese Government but also within the UN system and in many other institutional setups. Otherwise, human security will not be realized.

Another point that was expressed was that ODA policy and practices should be near the people in the field of beneficiaries. I have always said that you cannot protect people and alleviate poverty by remote control. You have to be there. You have to know what their aspirations are in order to put that into practice. And I would hope very much that if you are going to implement human security as a policy, I hope not only Japan but also other states, other organizations present here would take up the inspiration of human security to the field and be with the people who are really the biggest beneficiaries.

I'd like to close. I thank you very much. My commissioners, colleagues, we worked very hard for two years together. We had difficult times because we all come from different points of view and rather insistent on respective view points. But we finally managed to get one piece together. I'd like to ask for you as for all, especially Amartya, we will work together in carrying this mission through. But also I'd like to thank the staff, with small office but you did a big job. I'd like to thank the staff, who endured really did a marvelous job in putting this through. And through with all the commissioners and the staff, I'd like to thank Japanese Government for sponsoring this and letting us do what we want it to do. Also, I think the audience is wonderful. You persevered for such a long time. I'm told by Mr. Yamamoto that there are many young people and even many young men or boys. I'd like to think that you are the bearers. You have to realize the human security agenda. It's starting now. And this is really a wonderful way of ending the fifth and the last meeting of Human Security Commission. Thank you very much for all the supports.