The interest in human security as a concept of national and international security has been growing over the last few years. Contrasting with the traditional security methods, which mainly rely on military might and border protection, human security is more focused on people's well-being.
Human security is a holistic framework bringing into play fundamental needs within the people as they relate to economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security as a whole. It is also one of the important areas where it makes sense to prevent radicalization.
Radicalization is a gradual process where people take to the extreme ideologies that might forward them to perform the violence to attain religious supposed objectives. However, radicalization is not a solitary event, nor is it an isolated process, as raised radicalization may stem from a multi-pronged race of social, economic, psychological, and political factors.
Such grievances and social alienation and marginalization leave extremist narratives unaddressed and make them resonate among vulnerable people who may end up being part of them. While these underlying vulnerabilities can be mitigated with appropriate focus on human security, which probably reduces radicalization.
Human security is a preventative approach and includes an emphasis on meeting basic needs and protection from threats on a systematic basis. On the other hand, this concept is based on root cause—it is trying to work towards creating the environment where people feel safe, valued, and connected.
If people have access to essential resources, opportunities, and protections, human security will begin to address the grievances that can lead to radicalization. Its framework also generates a humane and sustainable solution to counter terrorism, away from reactive measures to build resilient communities where radical ideologies flourish less.
Economic security is one of the pillars of human security and, in turn, directly targets poverty, unemployment, and income inequality. Research has shown that economically vulnerable people are more likely to become radicalized, as they might see extremist groups as an alternative source of survival.
For instance, extremist organizations entice young people in areas with little job opportunities by offering money, education, and healthcare. But governments and organizations can help reduce this by investing in job creation, vocational training, and entrepreneurship programs, which will hopefully alleviate the economic desperation that may lead individuals to radical ideologies.
Social and community security seeks to promote social cohesion, inclusion, and a feeling of belonging in societies. Precursors to radicalization, of course, include isolation and alienation, which are common, as people who feel totally removed from the communities around them can begin searching for alternative affiliations, including extremist groups.
Often these groups take advantage of dividing society to present themselves as those who provide identity, purpose, and belonging to those who feel marginalized. Programs like mentorship, youth engagement activities, and cultural exchanges can be instrumental in strengthening social bonds, equality, and inclusivity.
Political security means that people have the right to voice, representation, and justice. A lack of political security may seed mistrust in institutions and foster discouragement, mired in their seductiveness to extremist narratives that hold the promise of a new social moor. While many forms of radical ideologies exploit perceptions of political injustice, be it discrimination in government systems.
States can augment political security by bolstering democratic institutions, supporting transparency, and ensuring that the administration of justice is equitable, which discourages involvement in extremist groups that leverage grievances about governance.
Educational security is an important component of human security and provides the tools and expertise to deal with the complexity of any issue, evaluate information critically, and resist deceptive messaging. It is clearly an effective tool against radicalization – by giving the young people a chance to be open minded, think critically, and know other points of view.
Empowering individuals to reject extremist ideologies entails the schools and educational programs that can teach tolerance, empathy, and conflict resolution. In addition, digital literacy courses help people notice and combat online radicalization.
Radicalization prevention requires attention to personal security, which is aimed at the protection of the individual from physical damage and exploitation. Violence may expose people to trauma and make them vulnerable to manipulation or grievances, which radicalizes them. Extremist groups are viewed by communities under perpetual threat of violence as protectors or as a means to achieve justice.
Law enforcement, conflict resolution programs, and victim support systems provide safety and security that reduce individuals’ exposure to violence and exploitation. Moreover, personal security initiatives make it possible to establish a basis of trust in the institutions of government and ward off people from seeking their protection, or their vengeance, through alternative radical means.
Often overlooked in the talk about radicalization are health and environmental security. Health security is the assurance that people have their crucial healthcare. This environment can be the perfect breeding ground for extremist groups when poor health conditions and lack of healthcare access lead to frustration and despair.
Like environmental insecurities – food and water shortages - they all become easier to add to, and it all too often makes people more susceptible to extreme ideologies as what they believe is a solution to the struggle they face. By meeting that most basic need through a sustainable development project, we protect communities from those conditions that so often breed radical ideologies and help foster stability and resilience.
The solution to that problem would not be governments alone addressing the issue of radicalization through human security. International organizations, NGOs, local communities, and private sector entities must collaborate in an approach.
Human security in counter radicalization has not been overstressed. It helps create resilient communities and societies in which extremism is an unappealing option by attending to the economic, political, social, and personal needs of individuals. Rather than relying solely on forceful counter terrorism measures. It supports the creation of environments in which all citizens are able to thrive, which is conducive to a more peaceful, secure global environment.
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