A humane world where people can live in security and dignity, free from poverty and despair, is still a dream for many and should be enjoyed by all. In such a world, every individual would be guaranteed freedom from fear and freedom from want, with an equal opportunity to fully develop their human potential. Building human security is essential to achieving this goal.

In essence, human security means freedom from pervasive threats to people's rights, their safety or even their lives.

Human security has become both a new measure of global security and a new agenda for global action. Safety is the hallmark of freedom from fear, while well-being is the target of freedom from want. Human security and human development are thus two sides of the same coin, mutually reinforcing and leading to a conducive environment for each other.

A Perspective on Human Security: Chairman's Summary 1st Ministerial Meeting of the Human Security Network, Lysøen, Norway, May 20 1999