ODA Topics 3

Human Security

Human security is a concept that focuses on each and every human being, and advances nation and community building though the empowerment and protection of individuals to live happily, in dignity, and free from fear and want. Japan has long promoted the concept of human security in the international community. Japan’s Development Cooperation Charter has also positioned it as the guiding principle that lies at the foundation of Japan’s development cooperation. Human security, which puts the spotlight on individuals, is also aligned with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),Note 1 which aim to realize a society that “leaves no one behind.”

The revised Development Cooperation Charter, effective from June 2023, continues to position human security as its guiding principle and sets the realization of “human security” in the new era with compound crises as one of Japan’s basic policies. This means that, in addition to continuing “investment in people,” such as protection and empowerment of individuals, Japan will set the solidarity of various actors as the pillars of human security, and will conduct development cooperation, making human agency a central focus. This idea is based on the 2022 Special Report on human security published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which advocates the need for human security in the new era that incorporates the concept of “solidarity,” into the two conventional pillars of human security, “protection” and “empowerment.”

The Government of Japan has made various efforts to promote human security so far, both in terms of the dissemination of the concept and its practical application on the ground. Under Japan’s leadership, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on a shared understanding on human security in 2012. Japan also proactively promotes the concept of human security in the international community, such as by holding symposiums on human security. At the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May 2023, as the holder of the G7 Presidency, Japan demonstrated to developing countries facing compound crises its stance of focusing on its efforts to support people who tend to be in vulnerable situations based on the concept of human security in the new era.

Furthermore, through Japan’s leadership, the UN Trust Fund for Human Security was established in 1999 to promote the implementation of human security in the field. By FY2022, Japan contributed a total of approximately 50 billion yen to this fund. The trust fund has supported 293 projects implemented by UN agencies to ensure human security in over 100 countries and regions by the end of 2022.

In January 2024, a UN report entitled the “Human Security: Report of Secretary-General” was released. It is expected that this report will further encourage discussions on human security at the UN. Japan, which has advocated human security, intends to actively lead these discussions.

March 2023, Japan announcing its contribution to UNDP and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through the UN Trust Fund for Human Security to support displaced Ukrainians and their host communities in Moldova (Photo: UNDP Moldova)

Note 1: See the glossary.