Human security issues and COVID-19

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At the moment, the news about the second case in East New Britain Province is causing panic and anxiety among citizens. I am anxious as I ponder about the possibility of the virus spreading in Madang and the future of my nuclear and extended family members.

Stephanie Lawson talked about the 7 human security issues in her book titled 'International relations'. In 2018, I wrote 2 blog articles to help my students develop a basic understanding of human security. The first article talked about the first 3 human security issues, and the second article talked about the last 4 human security issues.
Her discussions were derived from the Human Development Report published by the UNDP in 1994. The Report outlined the changing trend in security studies where security was no longer an issue of states defending themselves against other states evident in the Cold War. The traditional state-centric approach was replaced by a human centric conceptualization of security.

The 7 human security issues are:
  1. Economic security
  2. Food security
  3. Health security
  4. Environmental security
  5. Personal security
  6. Community security
  7. Political security  
Health security talks about health care and protection from diseases. We are now fully aware of our health care system and our inability to provide care for the many who will be infected by COVID-19.

Our health security concerns at this point in time are:
  1. We do not have enough personal protection equipment for our front-line health workers.
  2. We do not have enough beds in our isolation wards in the many hospitals around the country.
  3. We do not have enough ventilators in our hospitals around the country.
  4. We do not have larger quarantine areas in all provinces to quarantine travelers for 14 days.      




The heath security issue that we face at the moment is connected to 4 other human security issues; economic, food, personal and political. This makes the current situation more volatile and challenging for leaders and those in authority.

While we focus on stopping the spread of the virus, we might cause people to go hungry. The hunger and poverty caused as a result of the travel restrictions and the excessive use of force by police and military personnel will lead to an increase in crime. 

For economic security, many in the informal sector are not operating as usual. The ban on betel nut has affected the the livelihood of many as expressed by those from Hanubada who were caught by police transporting betel nut from Isiu.



In regards to loss of jobs in the formal sector, we have no statistics at the moment to tell us exactly how many people were asked to stay at home as part of the social distancing or cost-cutting measures. Those who lost their full-time or part-time employments will struggle to feed their families or themselves during this period.

Food security means access to basic sustenance. During the 2 weeks lock down, fresh broccoli and cauliflower from the Highlands provinces were not transported down to the Madang town market. The Governor of East Sepik Province talked in Parliament about how fresh garden produce was not sold in the market in Wewak to help citizens live a healthy life. He went against the instructions given by the police and allowed the mothers to sell their fresh garden produce at the market.


The Government of PNG must also be concerned about the personal security of citizens. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Government to suspend the constitutional rights of citizens. Citizens cannot move about freely to engage in economic activities. If there is an opportunity to make money illegally and violently then those who are disadvantaged economically will take the opportunity.

Freedom of expression is one civil right that we possess which is outlined in the Constitution (Section 46). During the State of Emergency this civil right is suspended, those who spread false information will be arrested and charged. Citizens must be mindful of the information they share on social media platforms.



Furthermore, our freedom to move around and engage in economic activities is restricted. News of police physically assaulting commuters on the highlands highway is a political security issue. Also, police smashing fresh vegetables on sale at road side markets is deemed as excessive use of force. The police personnel should talk to the mothers in a dignified way or asked them calmly to pack up their fresh vegetables.   



The betel nut industry is complex with so many layers of people involved in the harvesting of the betel nut from the tree to the retailer. The current ban has implications on their economic security and will cause them to become a threat to the personal security of other citizens.

Those who stand with their needles at betel nut markets to sew bags full of betel nut will now engage in other activities to make money. The ban on betel nut has made them jobless, similar to those who are classified as buyers. Those who carry the betel nut bags on and off the vehicles will also be jobless. Furthermore, you have those who load and escort the betel nut bags on boats.  

COVID-19 as a health security issue is connected to economic, food, personal and political security issues. As such, when planning, the Government must connect all the human security issues together. If the Government only focuses on the pandemic and forget to evaluate the implications of the other human security issues then the nation will experience a major socioeconomic crisis.

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