A Human Security Doctrine for Europe

Book excerpt: A Human Security Doctrine for Europe explores the actual needs of individual people in conflict areas, rather than using a conventional institutional or geo-political perspectives. This new volume proposes that Europe should develop a new kind of human security capability that involves the military, the police and civilians all working together to enforce law rather than to fight wars. It argues that threats such as weapons of mass destruction or terrorism can only be countered if we address the insecurity of people in all parts of the world. Many people in the world lead intolerably insecure lives. In large parts of Africa, the Balkans, Central Asia and the Middle East, men and women live in daily fear of violent attacks, kidnapping, rape, extortion, robbery or trafficking. The existence of large military apparatuses does not create security; indeed, as in Iraq, the use of regular military forces may only make things worse. This stimulating study includes: two chapters setting out the changed global context and proposing new approaches to security five regional studies on the Balkans, the Great Lakes Region, the Middle East, the South Caucasus and West-Africa four studies on different aspects of EU security policy, including the legal setting, the role of women, operational principles and the role of the new member states four operational studies on capabilities, resources and institutional embedding Written by a diverse team of international experts, this book will of be of strong interest to students and researchers of security studies, peace studies, human rights and international relations.