Monograph 122: From State Security to Human Security in Southern Africa, Edited by Cheryl Hendricks | ISS Africa

This monograph, edited by Cheryl Hendricks and published by the Institute for Security Studies, presents a collection of think pieces from a December 2005 workshop in Cape Town. It examines the transition from a state-centric security paradigm to a human security approach in Southern Africa, analyzing the conceptual challenges, the role of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the persistent gap between policy frameworks and the actual lived experiences of citizens.

• The human security paradigm, popularized by the 1994 UNDP Human Development Report, shifts the focus of security from protecting national interests and borders to a people-centred approach defined by 'freedom from want and freedom from fear'. It identifies seven specific security threats: economic, food, health, environment, personal, community, and political security.
• While Southern Africa has seen an unprecedented level of peace and stability following anti-colonial and civil wars, the 'peace dividend' has not reached most citizens. There is a significant gap between the region's stated goals in policy frameworks and the actual implementation and outcomes.
• The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has integrated human security into its policy frameworks and restructured into four directorates: Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR); Social and Human Development and Special Programmes (SHDSP); Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI); and Infrastructure and Services (IS).
• Despite normative progress, Southern Africa faces severe human security challenges, including widening inequality, increasing poverty, food shortages, rising incidences of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, organized crime, human trafficking, and violence against women and children.
• SADC is described as institutionally weak, suffering from staff shortages and limited capacity. The organization's reform process has been marked by a lack of transparency and poor engagement with civil society and the private sector, while member states remain reluctant to cede national sovereignty.
• There is a tension within SADC between state security and human security. While some governments prioritize state security, others emphasize human security, leading to divergent opinions and approaches to governance and democratisation.
• The document highlights a failure in the implementation of gender-based violence policies in South Africa; despite having advanced laws and policies for women's protection, the level of gender-based violence continues to rise, suggesting a lack of commitment from those charged with implementation.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Monograph 122: From State Security to Human Security in Southern Africa, Edited by Cheryl Hendricks | ISS Africa. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-122-from-state-security-to-human-security-in-southern-africa-edited-by-cheryl-hendricks

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Monograph 122: From State Security to Human Security in Southern Africa, Edited by Cheryl Hendricks | ISS Africa. n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-122-from-state-security-to-human-security-in-southern-africa-edited-by-cheryl-hendricks.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Monograph 122: From State Security to Human Security in Southern Africa, Edited by Cheryl Hendricks | ISS Africa |url=https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-122-from-state-security-to-human-security-in-southern-africa-edited-by-cheryl-hendricks |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndmonograph, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Monograph 122: From State Security to Human Security in Southern Africa, Edited by Cheryl Hendricks | ISS Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-122-from-state-security-to-human-security-in-southern-africa-edited-by-cheryl-hendricks}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }