Human security
Conflict, disasters, insecurity and weak governance remain significant obstacles to development. Of the 34 poor countries furthest from reaching the Millennium Development Goals, 22 are in or emerging from conflict. Yet, short-term military responses to insecurity are not enough. A longer-term preventative approach is needed. This approach requires joined-up policies that address the social, economic, security and governance needs of populations living in fragile or conflict-affected regions. At present, misplaced development assistance, inequitable trade and foreign investment, irresponsible arms sales and disenfranchisement are feeding conflict and instability. The EU has potential for addressing conflict through its wide range of aid, trade, security, defence and diplomatic policies.
Since the 1990s NGOs identified Europe as a privileged forum to address the issue of human insecurity and started lobbying for arms export control. The resulting EU Code of Conduct introduced in 1998, was the first regional agreement on arms export. Since 2005, Europe has taken the lead towards a binding international UN Arms Trade Treaty. The process was set in motion at the 2006 UN General Assembly. Precisely because of Europe's lead role in human security issues, it is essential to keep lobbying the EU in order for their policies to share the aims of conflict prevention and poverty eradication rather than undermine them.
What is Bond doing?
Through the Conflict Policy Group, Bond aims to support its members and external partners in networking on conflict and security-related issues of relevance to development and humanitarian action. The Group also aims to provide strategic input to wider Bond advocacy and policy discussions relevant to its remit.
Bond's European Policy Group, as part of its work on Policy Coherence for Development, monitors EU policies on human security to ensure that they are coherent with, and enable the achievement of, development objectives.
In September 2007 Bond made a Submission to the European Commission's consultation on situations of fragility in developing countries. The final EC Communication reflected some of the points made in the Bond's submission and took on board several Bond's recommendations.
What you can do...
Join the Conflict Policy Group.
To know more about current policy issues Bond is working on in relation to human security or for general information, contact Bond EU Policy Officer.
