Human security - the foundation for human and social capital development

Investment in human resources is always essential in developing national capacity because it is both a resource and the ultimate goal of every economy . Human security is a top priority for every country and is the main basis for developing human capital.

The issue of “human security” has recently been clearly mentioned in many contents of the 13th Party Congress Documents with the orientation: “Effective and transparent management of social development, ensuring social security, human security…”. (Source: Industry and Trade Newspaper)

The Government 's vision to 2050 identifies Vietnam as a developed country with a high human development index, happy people's lives, and firmly secured national defense and security.

To achieve the above goals, it is necessary to enhance national competitiveness through good management of five resources: Finance, resources, physical products, human resources and society.

The importance of human resources

According to modern economists, national wealth and competitiveness are created, not inherited. They do not develop from a country’s natural, financial, etc. resources, as classical economics asserted.

A country's prosperity and competitiveness depend on its ability to innovate, on the dynamics of market development, including the effective interaction of three subjects: government, businesses and people.

However, innovation and creativity are the most important development resources of humans, the most differentiating human resources from the other four resources. This is also a great quality that even the most perfect artificial intelligence (AI) can never achieve.

The innovative and creative qualities of human capital are demonstrated through the four industrial revolutions, along with the invention of the market mechanism, which have brought about a life and society that is much more prosperous than our ancestors in the entire history of human development.

Human capital is considered the most important asset of any country and investment in human resources is always a must in developing national capacity because it is both a resource and the ultimate goal of every economy. Therefore, "settling down and working" or in other words, human security is the top priority of every country and is the main basis for developing human capital.

In the world , the idea of extending the concept of security from national security to individual human beings was first put forward by the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Affairs in 1982.

The 1994 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report was a landmark publication in the field of human security, arguing that ensuring basic needs and safety for all people is the best way to address global insecurity. It opened the way for an academic redefinition of human security.

The human security approach has refocused the security debate from territorial security to the security of people. This idea, endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, invited security scholars and policymakers to look beyond the defense of nation-states to the protection of what we care about most in life: our basic needs, our physical integrity, our human dignity.

It emphasizes the importance of the right of all people to be free from fear, want and humiliation. It emphasizes the close connection between security, development, protection and empowerment of individuals and communities.

Human security issues in Vietnam

In Vietnam, the concept of “human security” first appeared in the Documents of the 12th National Party Congress (2016). Up to now, we have also achieved many encouraging achievements in 7 contents related to human security (economy, food, health, environment, individual, community and politics): The national poverty rate decreased by an average of 1.5-2%/year, by 2020 it will be below 3%; The rate of people participating in health insurance by 2020 reached 90.7%, a sharp increase compared to 2015 (76.5%), exceeding the set target (80%);

Clause 1, Article 20 of the 2013 Constitution stipulates: Everyone has the right to physical inviolability and to be protected by law in terms of health, honor and dignity...; The 2013 Constitution added "human rights" to the chapter title compared to the 1992 Constitution.

However, due to the viewpoint that is not truly human-centered, the issue of human security still has some limitations: The wage policy is slow to reform; Poverty reduction is not sustainable; The quality of health and education services, especially in remote areas and ethnic minority areas, still has many difficulties and shortcomings; The quality of life is not high when the environmental pollution is slow to improve;

Democracy implementation is still limited or formalistic and there are cases of abuse of democracy causing division, loss of internal solidarity, causing disturbances, affecting national security, social order and safety; People do not really feel safe, always have a feeling of insecurity, especially in ethnic minority areas, border areas, islands, coastal areas...

Raising awareness and implementation of human security policies through focusing on people right from the master plan for socio-economic development and national security to practical implementation. (Source: 1office.vn)

Proposing 5 research contents for human development

Humans are social by nature, humans evolved to be social and that is the defining characteristic of what it means to be human.

To contribute to the good implementation of the Party's orientation and the Government's policies, we should strengthen 5 more research contents to develop people and society in the new trend of geopolitical, economic, environmental and technological changes:

People are the focus

Raising awareness and implementation of human security policies through people-centered planning from the master plan for socio-economic development and national security to practical implementation.

Legal content protects basic human needs such as: living, working, studying... and personal security must be guaranteed from threats including war, conflict, violence... In which, the issue of salary and working conditions must be one of the core issues of human security.

It is also important to note that while digital technologies can expand human freedoms, they can also have unintended consequences that challenge human security (e.g. the potential for human rights to be compromised by cyber-harm and the growing reliance on AI algorithms to erode human security).

Furthermore, it is also necessary to recognise the new generation of challenges that have emerged in the form of pandemics and climate change, as well as the rising levels of conflict (some 1.2 billion people still live in conflict-affected areas) and the persistence of inequalities in human development…

Social resources

These resources include political institutions, large social networks and mass organizations. Currently, the view of overemphasizing collective interests in a general and abstract way is greatly limiting social resources and making institutions and administrative structures from ministries to provinces and cities cumbersome, operating mechanisms ineffective and slowing down the process of salary reform, causing pressing social problems such as corruption, social evils, crimes, etc.

In addition, the business structure is still backward, lacking innovation and social mass organizations are still heavily movement-oriented, leading to low labor productivity and cultural erosion in the country's social institutions. Therefore, there needs to be a breakthrough in streamlining and decentralization in the administrative system to ensure work efficiency and a good working environment for civil servants.

The institutional structures of enterprises and social organizations need to be continuously innovated and developed to ensure that they keep up with the trends of a healthy competitive market and a civilized society. Digital technology application policies will certainly provide effective support for training, connecting and implementing this transformation process.

Fair and peaceful society

Human security in the Anthropocene must now move beyond ensuring the security of individuals and their communities to a systematic study of the interdependence between people; between people and the planet.

In the process, the principles of protection, decentralization and solidarity working together will promote not only a positive and healthy social culture but also a circular economy, building a just and peaceful society.

Honor

Recognition, whether it is in the form of an award, bonus, promotion, pay raise or a simple “thank you,” helps individuals and organizations see that they care; especially if it is done authentically and consistently.

That process will build people's trust and standards for a common goal as well as select virtuous and talented individuals as well as exemplary organizational models to make practical contributions to the comprehensive development of humans and modern society.

Food security and defense

In the context of complex climate change and conflicts between competing forces in the region, the master plan for the food center of the Mekong Delta, the East Sea and Vietnam's border areas should be a priority of the country's socio-economic development policy to ensure food security and national defense towards sustainable human security of Vietnam in the process of integration with the world.

There is a policy to effectively implement the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, which Vietnam committed to at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26).

A fair legal society with a comprehensive policy on human security will be the foundation for human resource development and a civilized society. That foundation will bring freedom, equality and peace to the people, creating a society that is always innovative and creative. And this is also the source of prosperity for Vietnam.

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