Correlation Between Human Development and Sustainable Development

Scientific Bulletin Vol. XXIV, No 1 (47), 2019

CORRELATION BETWEEN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – CONDITION OF HUMAN SECURITY

Elisabeta-Emilia HALMAGHI [email protected]

“NICOLAE BĂLCESCU” LAND FORCES ACADEMY, SIBIU, ROMANIA

ABSTRACT For the sake of contemporaneity, the notion of sustainable development has become the key concept in developing new paradigms of human survival, in designing new ways of managing social systems. The current state of today’s humanity is looking for a new development model as well as new security objectives. Considered as a process over time, human development means creating, through action at policy level, the conditions for facilitating sustainable human development, such as appropriate education, health, material wellbeing, participation, social empowerment and inclusion and establishment of a model of socially and geographically equitable economic growth.

KEYWORDS: Human development, human security, sustainable development.

1. Introduction of overcoming the fragmentary, reductionist The present study focuses explicitly on the way of modelling the social existence of the connections between three fundamental people. concepts for explaining the human being’s situation: human development, human security 2. The concepts of human and sustainable development. In the development, sustainable development and following lines we intend to build the human security in an actual approach framework for the problem rather than In the literature, those regions and giving a more rigorous definition of the states where people have the freedom to three concepts. Apart from the problematic choose their way of life, education and aspects which each of them raises, the careers, but also political freedom, etc. are problem of their unitary approach, as a considered to be developed. Human holistic interpretation of the human being, development is a process and, at the same

52 time, a result, focusing on the results of citizens’ lives, at the same level of use of wider possibilities to choose. Human natural resources, without impairing the development can be defined in the easiest capacity to regenerate the environment. The way as a process of expanding options: most commonly used definition of every day, a human being makes a series of sustainable development is that of the economic, social, political and cultural Brundtland Report, Our Common Future: choices. The ultimate goal of human “sustainable development is that development is not to create greater wealth development that meets the needs of the or achieve greater economic growth, but the present without compromising the ability of expansion of choices for every human being future generations to meet their own needs” (Human Development Report, 2001). (Report of the World Commission on According to the concept of human Environment and Development: Our development, economic growth is only an Common Future). important means, but in no way the ultimate For development to be truly goal of development. Revenue is an sustainable, it is necessary to assume the important contribution when its benefits are political commitment of all the world’s translated into people’s lives, but revenue states, as well as to the closer collaboration growth must not be an end in itself. between the specialists in the economy, The ultimate goal of development is to environmental protection and social increase people’s capabilities (Human development. Ideally, as a result of the Development Report, 2001). People’s choices planning and management of natural are expanding when they gain more abilities resources, environmental factors should be and enjoy more opportunities to use these minimally affected and people’s living skills. Human development reflects a balance conditions improved. between capabilities and opportunities and, if The United Nations report entitled there is a disagreement between them, human The Human Development Report published frustration can be reached. in 1994, has brought the concept of “human Human development, focusing on the security” to the forefront (Human opportunities to make choices, presupposes Development Report 1994, p. 23). that people have to influence the process The document was a preamble to the World that shapes their lives. In other words, Summit for Social Development, to be held people have to participate in different in Copenhagen in March 1995, with an decision-making processes, implementing agenda of key topics, among which human these decisions and monitoring them. security was of utmost relevance. The idea Development is usually defined mainly underlying the concept of human security is in terms of economic growth: as countries not new, as it was stated at the UN register growth, we say that they are Conference in San Francisco in 1945 when developing. But as long as the world’s it was acknowledged that the sustainable population is steadily growing, it is difficult security of mankind can be ensured only if to imagine growth without economic two challenges (the human security growth. Therefore, the issue of managing components), expressed suggestively by the the serious effects of economic activities on phrases: freedom from fear and freedom the environment can no longer be just a from want are achieved. matter exclusively on the agenda of the The Report attempts to define the scientific forums, and the principles of concept of human security by explaining its ecology can and should also be applied in extension: security against chronic threats the economic sphere. such as hunger, disease or oppression, as Sustainable development has as its well as hurtful disruptions in everyday life primary objective to improve the quality of at home, at work, or in communities.

53 The authors of the Report have The three concepts proposed for characterized the global situation as being analysis in this study implicitly reflect the marked by major changes, the emergence of present level of mankind’s interpretations new concerns of the people, and have of one’s own being. First of all, what is explained the need for these developments surprising is the novelty of the concerns in to be reflected but also to be guided by the the sphere of those notions. It is almost way in which security is conceived. It was unbelievable that people have been able to practically a change of paradigm in the create such high-tech technologies but have interpretation of security: secondly, the not been able to assess their impact on the concern for the nation-state situation, lack environment. Equally surprising is that of threats to its unity and independence, are economic development could be considered set in the background and people are for centuries an end in itself without brought to the foreground. “accounting for” and to what extent this Although the need for a paradigm development is useful to people. It is also shift is firmly argued, yet we appreciate it, equally paradoxical that national security and by this we subscribe to the has proved to be a misleading desideratum interpretations of other authors (Gasper, in relation to the objective of ensuring the 2004), according to which the report does security of citizens. not excel in the methodological rigor. All these contradictory situations A first indication of this is, for example, the gradually begin to be overcome under the enumeration of the essential features of the pressure of the refusals that the old concept (universality, interdependence, ease concepts of development and security suffer of provision through preventive interventions, from. Studies are still in their early, human focusing) before providing a pre-paradigmatic stages. For example, the rigorous definition of the concept. In fact, relationship between human security and in relation to the latter aspect, the authors of human development is still not very clear. the report acknowledge the difficulty of a In our opinion, first of all, the two must not definition of a concept which by its be confused and the link between them meanings can be matched with terms such must be interpreted as a dynamic as human freedom in the category called by interdependence. While human development WB Gallie as essentially contested concepts is a broader concept that seeks to identify (Gallie, 1956). And yet, instinctively, most and capitalize on the capabilities of human people understand what security means and, beings, human security aims at providing in order to support this point of view, a text the necessary framework for the free and safe box titled Human Security – as People see expression of those capabilities. The success it was introduced (Human Development or failure of one brings success or failure to Report 1994). the other because the two states stand up Ensuring human security implies, and mutually potentiate. above all, ensuring people’s freedom of It is also noteworthy that the three action, for in the new vision, security means concepts do not make up a unitary one, the responsibility of one’s own life, the although intuitively they appear to be parts ability of man to take care of himself. Thus, of the same whole, respectively the good according to the authors of the report, the interpretation of the human being. In this concept in question is an integrative respect, we appreciate that a concept such character, the possibility of its application as sustainable social development can be being ensured by consensus, not by the that binder concept that, starting from force of weapons. unitary and non-contradictory premises, can

54 cover the range of preoccupations included greater insecurity than that which claim to in the semantic sphere of the concepts remove it?” thus, human rights and analysed above. individual security are in a synergistic Through sustainable social development, relationship. Individual security is an we primarily consider the development of important indicator in identifying rights in the human being and of the social danger in a particular situation (Crepon, organizations that it maintains in functional 2006). In Crepon’s view, the issue of variants that do not produce undesirable individual security is also a security culture results and consequences. This development issue and depends largely on how each of should not be limited only to the use of those involved describe, express, analyse or natural resources but to all areas of human understand the types of insecurity to which existence. For example, developing people as it is exposed. “subjects” of organizations and abandoning The essence of democratic governance the concepts that they regard them as is to ensure leadership in accordance with “labour force” can and must be a major the free will and the expressed interests of direction of study and action. the population. This symbiotic relationship Second, we consider the need to involves the creation of representative explore the capabilities of the human being, institutions at all levels to ensure respect for the recognition that this process is at its the political, social and economic rights of beginning and that per capita income is not citizens. By the very constitutional determinant in this endeavour. In our democratic construction, the distribution of opinion, it is rather a good interpretation of state power ensures the creation of the lever these aspects, the material side having its system so necessary to prevent the risky importance, but not being exclusive. accumulation of power. Establishing a balance between how much freedom the 3. Individual security and state individual has or can give to security is security, an ambivalent relationship undoubtedly the main concern for all those Conceptual changes to the security involved in human rights defenders, paradigm required radical reforms at the defence staff, public order and security, and level of each national security system, with last but not least, parliamentarians and direct implications for democratic academics. mechanisms at the level of each state. In the Security, at any level, is about same context, the transformations in the individuals. Developing the concept of conceptual perspective have profound human security is an attempt by a part of implications on the way in which the state’s the academic community to redefine and attributions to security are institutionalized. broaden the significance of security. Specifically, we are talking about The concept of human security focuses on rethinking how defence, public order and the individual as the main object of security security issues are approached, the role and and serves the purpose of highlighting some place of each institution, how they interact critical issues, particularly those relating to to ensure the security of the state and intra-state violence. The concept of human individuals. security highlights the fact that for national Marc Crepon argues that any security it is necessary to secure the citizens democracy is, or should be, concerned to inside the states against the internal answer the question “how can we make sure political violence, often generated by the that the security measures taken to fight the bad governance. History abounds in alleged fears of citizens do not involve examples of states that have turned against

55 their own citizens, despite the philosophy of be imagined in the current context of global international relations theory that the state risks and threats. Strengthening community fulfills its fundamental role in ensuring the security can only be achieved by awareness security of its citizens in an anarchic of the need to multiply the security of each international environment. individual. At the same time, one’s security The main point in addressing human must be avoided by increasing the security is the need to protect human life. insecurity of others. Barry Buzan wrote: “... there is an The report of the Human Security inevitable contradiction between individual Commission states quite clearly that security and national security. It has its security is addressed to both human beings roots in the nature of political collectivities. and states, non-governmental organizations In the real world, it can neither be solved, and international bodies and thus requires nor bypassed. Since the state is ultimately an extension of the concept of security supported by its physical base, the beyond that of “human security”. Neither protection of the territory and the “state security” within boundaries that is population must count as fundamental provided with defence, nor the safeguarding concerns of national security, although they of existing institutions does not exhaust the may sometimes be sacrificed to a sense of the notion nor the imperatives considerable extent to protect the other attached to it. From this perspective, state components” (Buzan, 2000, p. 61). individuals in society recognize the need for Civil Society, through its specialized security that cannot be reduced to that organizations, should be one of the main which the state might claim to satisfy itself factors to achieve the individual’s security by protecting itself (Human Development at all levels: military, political, economic, Report 1994, p. 23). social, cultural and environmental. On the Human security and human rights are opposite side, the civil society’s passivity, in a synergy: respect for human rights is the or even its non-existence in a structured basic prerequisite for protecting human form, can result in serious situations of security. Human security helps to spot disunity and chaos, and perhaps the human rights in a particular situation. increase in the number of risks and Human rights help us answer the question vulnerabilities within that society. On the of how to protect human security. The other hand, we cannot ignore the special notion of rights and obligations complements nature of the security sector, with its the ethical and political recognition and specific features especially related to importance of the concept of human security. transparency and freedom to provide An important aspect of human security information. That is why the establishment is the quality of life, which is an evaluation of democratic control must be adapted to concept and is the result of the reporting of the particularities of this sector so that the the living conditions and the activity that final result balances in a satisfactory compose human life to human needs, values manner the imperatives of national security and aspirations. It is noted that this concept on the one hand and on the other hand the refers both to the objective conditions in democratic imperatives of respect for which human life is constituted, and to the human rights and transparent governance. subjective way in which each individual The security of a community, or of evaluates their own life (Zamfir, 1978). each of its individuals, cannot be studied in a The most important social and sociological distinct way over the security environment to indicators and parameters that measure which it belongs. No „oasis” of security can objective conditions are: social and

56 sociological indicators and parameters of that persist in different fields are signalled. housing, social and sociological indicators These objectives highlight the Millennium of poverty, indicators of health, indicators Goals which refer to: “eradication of extreme of human freedom and development, poverty and hunger; ensuring universal indicators of characterization of the primary education; promoting gender education system. equality; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating diseases such as 4. Human security between human HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; development and sustainable development ensuring sustainable development; developing The development of mankind cannot a global partnership for development” be achieved without ensuring human (Millennium Development Goals, 2011). security. Security means that the benefits Human development in the UN that people have reached in expanding their concept is described as a process of opportunities and improving their capabilities broadening the range of people’s choices, are protected by current social, economic, based on the strengthening of their basic political arrangements. The approach to capabilities, expressed through the human security is based on a broad social relationship between vital human needs and acceptance of people’s rights and obligations, material factors. Focusing attention on based on sustainable institutions. “The human development reflects the tendency relevance of human security for security towards a fundamental reorientation of the studies lies in the network of connections goals according to which social reforms are and contradictions between personal adopted in the contemporary world. Human security and state security. Its importance development is closely linked to the lies also in the fact that it gives conceptual individual’s freedoms and dignity, the coherence to numerous governmental and expansion of freedoms lies at the heart of non-governmental, national and international the concept and must also underpin its initiatives, and promotes the restatement of implementation. The objectives of human the relationship between the state and its development are in close correlation with citizens in cases where they are needed” those of the need to ensure the appropriate (Buzan, 2000, p. 46). framework for implementation, namely the The world is becoming more complex achievement of the objectives for achieving and interdependent, and the phenomenon of the optimal framework, that of human sustainable development is becoming more security. and more irreversible. The indissolubility Sustainable development is essentially and commensurability of the notions of the answer to the emergence of environ- development and security, their inter- mental problems and the crisis of natural connection and dialectical interdependence resources, especially those related to energy. have also become evident (Ţîrdea, 2001). Practically, it is recognized that human Concerns about the future of activities contribute to the deterioration of the humanity, and from this perspective, the environment, which jeopardizes the future issues of ensuring sustainable development of the Planet. Health, social safety and the that lead to the improvement of the quality economic stability of society are essential of life in a balanced and global way are in defining the quality of life. more and more frequently mentioned in the Development through people and for international discourse analysing the stage people highlights an important dimension of human development, the progress of human development, that of citizens’ obtained is appreciated and the deficiencies participation in the creation of personal and,

57 implicitly, national welfare. People are the lifestyles; protect people from environmental tools and beneficiaries, but also the victims damage and natural disasters; protecting of all development activities. Any people from physical violence, whatever its development process must have human source; protecting people from loss of purpose. Sustainable development is a way traditional relations and values, ethnic and of development that supports human sectarian violence; providing a living progress not only in a few places and for a environment based on respect for human few years, but for the population of the rights in society. entire planet and for a long-term future. The link between human security and “Sustainable human development as a sustainable development is manifested in universal development specific to conceptual terms from the perspective of the individuals and populations in their quality four basic components of human development: of purpose that subordinates the goals of equality in terms of fair access to the markets, government administrations, opportunities; sustainability as regards international organizations (economic, responsibility for future generations as those political and military) of all the institutions of the present generation; productivity on of contemporary society has become an human resource investigations and creating operative concept in the world” the macroeconomic environment that would (http://www.scritub.com). allow people to reach their full potential; Sustainable development means the sense of decision – in the sense that continuously improving the quality of life people have to achieve a level of individual and well-being by promoting a dynamic development that would allow them to economy through health, social and exercise options based on their own desires territorial cohesion and environmental from a wider framework of the existing protection, in a secure world which respects opportunity (Buzan, 2000). cultural diversity. Focusing attention on human Sustainable development and human development reflects the tendency towards security are related, interdependent but not a main reorientation of the goals, according identical. Of course, there is an to which social reforms are adopted in the interconnection between human development contemporary world. Man and his vital through sustainable development and human needs are considered fundamental, as a security: progress in one area extends the supreme value, while material factors, cash possibilities for the progress of the other, incomes or increased consumption are no and vice versa. As for the concept of human longer a central, fundamental condition, but security, as with other fundamental notions only a means of ensuring sustainable (such as human freedoms), it is much easier human development. It is remarkable that to find the security list than its existence. this review of the correlation between the From the perspective of human purposes and the means of social security, the new complex issues of the development is only a return to that kind of present require clarity in the hierarchy and orientation of general world conceptions prioritization of strategic development that are characteristic of human culture in objectives, the counteraction of a wide general, including for European culture, but range of threats to people, grouped as which became diluted and even distorted follows: providing the minimum income due to social – historical circumstances. necessary for each individual; guaranteeing The development of humanity cannot access to basic food; guaranteeing minimum be achieved without the assurance of human protection against illness and unhealthy security. Human security usually involves a

58 condition in which people can exercise their namely of human security, in ensuring the options safely and freely, without fear that stability of security systems at national, the opportunities they enjoy today will be regional and even global level. Human lost or withdrawn tomorrow. Security security means a phenomenon with many means that the benefits that people have components: economic security, food reached in expanding their opportunities security, health security, environmental and improving their capabilities are security, personal security, public security, protected by current social, economic, political security. The mentioned structural political arrangements. Security is based on elements of human security are of particular a broad social acceptance – based on importance to man in any country, in any sustainable institutions “of people’s rights social situation, but the security issues of and obligations” (Bobiuc, 1997). the present are required to be formulated and resolved from the perspective of the 5. Conclusions future. The primary objective of ensuring The new vulnerabilities, risks and national security is to identify the risks to threats facing mankind today require, at the which the state is exposed in the context of beginning of this century, that the concept changes in the international system. Within of security must articulate around the this framework, the ability of a state to principles of international security, national secure its security could be translated, from security and human security. Strengthening the point of view of the individual, by the security must be based on two main elements: possibility of state structures to provide a strengthening the sense of trust between certain level of protection against the risks people (as a result of informational to which it might be exposed. It should not, connections within the state) and promoting however, be neglected that ensuring the collaboration between states. In this protection of the individual against external context, sustainable development must risks is not a sufficient condition for ensure human security through the dimension ensuring human security, especially when of economic efficiency, social equity and many of the risks to which the individual is environmental protection. subjected come from the internal environment. Also, human security suggests a Of course, the role of national states multidimensional approach, including human is not diminishing, but it is no longer the survival measures, which leads us to the decisive one but it acquires new dimensions. conclusion that human security is universal Today, the conditions are met for an in nature because actions in this area go international coalition of states and civil beyond national borders and aim at society organizations to support projects understanding and realizing human security aimed at placing the security of people and in a unitary way. human communities at the centre of For the sake of contemporaneity, the international security. A new international notion of “sustainable development” has rapprochement is needed both to fight the become the key notion in developing new causes of insecurity and to find together paradigms of human survival, in designing solutions to solving the dangers and threats new ways of managing social systems. of millions of people every day. The current state of today’s humanity is The promoters of the human security looking for a new development model as field argue that, in the context of the current well as new security objectives. Ensuring evolution of humanity, it is necessary to be overall security is possible in sustaining aware of the central role of the individual, global sustainable development.

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