Human security highlights individuals' security rather than the security of government and their national military interests (Scheffran, 2012). Human security deals with basically any issue that can place humans in vulnerable positions. Currently, the world is becoming smaller due to modern technology, and its population is expanding. Health, environmental, and crime associated problems that were limited by geography before, are increasingly shared by many states (Mingst and Arreguin 2017). State sovereignty is a concept dictating that states enjoy internal autonomy, and there is non-interference in its domestic undertakings by other states (Mingst and Arreguin 2017). An outbreak of diseases and pandemics worldwide is a significant threat to human security and needs collaboration between states. The focus is to determine whether human security issues decrease the importance of state sovereignty.
The doctrine of state sovereignty evolved and originated from the peace of Westphalia in 1648. The Westphalia notion defined an idea of sovereign states with the rule of law represented by geographical borders and executive control of all the people (Mingst and Arreguin 2017). The trends challenging the Westphalia notion are; the increasing transnational digitization and the internet, increasing global commerce, and the global flow of humans, animals, and infectious diseases (Mingst and Arreguin 2017). The outbreak of Coronavirus in November 2019 has caused adverse effects on the health systems in many states. The states had to instill measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus. The sovereign states have the duty of offering human security to their citizens.
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In the documentary, The virus: what went wrong , the Coronavirus, which is a Human security issue, made the government of the United States of America look for ways to protect its citizen; first, the government introduced travel restrictions from China where the pandemic originated (Frontline, 2020). The travel restrictions went against the freedom of movement entitled to every citizen. The US government introduced lockdown to reduce people’s interactions with each other (Frontline, 2020). The lockdown went against the freedom of association of the people of the United States. The state sovereignty was affected by the pandemic, which is a human security issue.
Traditionally, infectious diseases were the concerns of the sovereign states. After the second world war, things changed, and the outbreak of diseases and pandemics became a concern of many states since the individual state could not solve the problems on their own (Mingst and Arreguin 2017). The Ebola outbreak in the West African states of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone tested the system of alerts and quick responses, but the health system failed. The broken domestic health system in these states was unable to contain the outbreak. NGOs like Doctors Without Border were some of the international groups that went to the ground to control the situation (Mingst and Arreguin 2017). The NGOs had trained personnel and stocks of protective gear that the states did not have. The spread of the disease outside the states calls for other states to interfere, thus decreasing the state sovereignty. HIV/AIDS is another global pandemic that has hit different states. Currently, the world health organization has developed guidelines on preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially in developing countries. The World Bank and other donors have volunteered to help states with drugs to lower the effects of HIV/AIDS.
Different human security issues have immensely affected the state and state sovereignty. Diseases and pandemics are major human security issues that needed a quick response. Some states face financial problems, hence relying on other countries to supply much-needed materials and resources. States find themselves depending on other states for the supply of the materials and resources required.
References
Frontline PBS. (2020, June 16). The virus: what went wrong [Video].Youtube. https://youtu.be/h4la0YzxFZ4
Mingst, K. A., & Arreguín-Toft, I. M. (2017). Essentials of international relations . New York: W.W. Norton & Company
Scheffran, J. (2012). Climate change, human security, and violent conflict: Challenges for societal stability . (Springer eBooks.) Berlin: Springer.
