he contemporary international order is undergoing profound transformation. In a keynote address to the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described this moment as a “rupture” marked by the erosion of the rules-based international order, intensifying great-power rivalry, and declining confidence in multilateral institutions. His call for a renewed international order founded on human rights, sustainable development, solidarity, and sovereignty reflects broader concerns about geopolitical fragmentation, economic nationalism, and the weakening of multilateral cooperation. As states increasingly prioritize strategic competition and national resilience, collective responses to transnational challenges have become more difficult.
Against this backdrop, this panel argues that the case for human security is more compelling than ever. Since its introduction in the 1994 United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report, human security has challenged state-centric understandings of security by placing the protection and well-being of individuals and communities at the centre of policy. Although its prominence declined amid the resurgence of traditional security thinking and geopolitical rivalry, contemporary challenges—including climate change, pandemics, food insecurity, forced displacement, technological disruption, and widening inequality—demonstrate the limitations of approaches that privilege national security over shared human vulnerabilities.
The panel re-examines human security after more than three decades of scholarly and policy development, asking whether it can serve not only as an alternative security paradigm but also as a foundation for reimagining global governance. It explores the tension between geopolitical competition and collective action, assessing whether a human-centred approach can strengthen international cooperation while advancing resilience, dignity, sustainable development, and peace.
Bringing together scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines, the panel will examine the theoretical evolution, methodological development, and practical applications of human security in areas including foreign policy, humanitarian action, peacebuilding, sustainable development, and crisis management. By reassessing both the promise and the limitations of the concept, the panel seeks to identify innovative approaches that reconnect security, development, and human rights. It contends that placing human welfare at the centre of global governance is essential for renewing the legitimacy, effectiveness, and resilience of international cooperation in an increasingly fragmented world.
