United Nations staff from across West and Central Africa gathered in Accra, Ghana for the first in a series of Human Security Regional Training Workshops entitled “Applying the Human Security Concept in Project and Programme Development, Implementation and Monitoring”, held over three days, 8-10 June, 2009. Hosted by the Human Security Unit (HSU/OCHA), in partnership with UN Ghana, and facilitated by Ms. Hitomi Kubo of Science Po University, 35 participants attended, representing 11 UN agencies. The training provided participants with an in-depth understanding of the application of the human security concept in project and programme activities, while promoting an exchange of views around some of the main challenges to human security in the region.
An introduction to the key aspects of human security opened the first day of the workshop and participants reflected on the most critical and pervasive threats to human security in West and Central Africa. Noteworthy issues included the poor quality of governance, democracy and justice; extreme poverty and inequality; drought and the current global food crisis; weak health systems; unemployment; and conflict – all of which were feared to be further undermined in light of climate change and the ramifications of the global financial crisis.
An active discussion followed on the complementarities between human security, human development and human rights, and the added value of the human security concept in view of these human-centred concepts. Participants concluded that the human security concept provides a comprehensive focus that can help attain human rights for all while safeguarding the achievements under human development by focusing on the sustainability of development gains in periods of downturn.
The second and third days of the workshop provided participants with the opportunity to take a hands-on approach towards the operational tools and principles of human security. Working in small groups, participants began designing human security projects based on post-conflict situations in the region and were introduced to human security project tools such as the ‘Human Security Needs, Vulnerability and Capacity Matrix’, the ‘Hybrid Protection and Empowerment Strategies’, and the ‘Externalities Assessment Framework’.
A final session provided an occasion to discuss ideas for concept notes to be submitted to the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) and participants finished the training with new ideas for human security projects and a ready-made network of human security practitioners in the region.
The second Human Security Regional Training Workshop will be held in collaboration with ESCAP in Bangkok, Thailand on 26-29 October, 2009. Participants from UN Country Teams in the Asia-Pacific Region will be invited to take part in the workshop.
Training Manual: Human Security Regional Training Programme
- in English
- in French
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