A humanitarian perspective: keeping people and their health, not national security, at the centre

ABSTRACT

As part of the ‘UN Security Council and Health Emergencies’ collection, this article provides the humanitarian perspective in the collection. Over the last two decades, the UN Security Council has come to play an increasingly prominent role in global responses to health emergencies—including in COVID-19. In this article, scholars from International Relations, Public Health, International Law and humanitarian aid organisations reflect on this developing role, and the consequences (both positive and negative) for global health security efforts. From the humanitarian perspective, the nexus of health and security has become a war on words and a double-edged sword. The article highlights the difference between the ‘securitisation’ of health and securing health, where the latter is what is truly needed in ensuring health for all. It does so by bringing out examples of real field impact and challenges humanitarian actors face when narratives are manipulated as such and what role the UNSC can and should play in allaying negative repercussions.

KEYWORDS:

• Humanitarian
• health security
• UNSC

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maria S. Guevara

Dr. Maria S. Guevara has over 17 years of humanitarian experience and is currently the International Medical Secretary for Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders.