Gandhian Human Security and Its Foundation in Human Rights

When we think about security, most of us picture military forces, border protection, or national defense. But what if security was fundamentally about protecting individuals rather than states? This shift in thinking lies at the heart of human security, a concept that shares deep roots with the human rights tradition. And perhaps no one embodied this connection more powerfully than Mahatma Gandhi, whose struggle for India’s freedom was, at its core, a battle for human rights and human dignity.

The individual as the center of security and rights 🔗

Both human security and human rights begin with a simple but profound idea: the individual matters most. Human security challenges the traditional notion of national security by arguing that the proper referent for security should be at the human rather than the national level. This people-centered view recognizes that a wide range of issues such as civil rights, cultural identity, access to education, and healthcare are fundamental to human dignity.

This approach draws heavily from the human rights tradition, particularly the ideas of natural law and natural rights. The connection runs deep: both human security and human rights use the individual as the main referent and both argue that protecting human dignity requires addressing diverse threats to wellbeing.

The 1994 UN Development Programme report on human security made this explicit, calling for protection from both “freedom from want” and “freedom from fear.” These aren’t abstract principles but concrete needs that affect real people every day. When a farmer can’t feed their family due to drought, when a child lacks access to clean water, or when someone faces violence because of their identity, their human security and human rights are both at stake.

How Gandhi understood individual dignity 🔗

Gandhi’s philosophy placed the individual at the center of his vision for society, but not in an isolated way. He rejected discrimination based on caste, creed, color, or any artificial distinction, proclaiming the fundamental equality of all human beings based on their shared divine nature. His work with the Dalit community, whom he called “Harijans” (children of God), demonstrated his practical commitment to human equality and dignity.

For Gandhi, individual security and rights were inseparable from duties and responsibilities. He believed that rights emerge from duties well performed. As he wrote, “I learnt from my illiterate but wise mother that all rights to be deserved and preserved came from duty well done”. This wasn’t about denying individual dignity but about recognizing that our security and freedom are interconnected with the wellbeing of others.

Building upon the global human rights framework 🔗

The relationship between human security and human rights continues to evolve. Some human security advocates argue that its goal should be to build upon and strengthen the existing global human rights legal framework. They see human security as a way to make human rights principles more actionable and responsive to real-world threats.

The human rights framework takes a legalistic approach, establishing standards through international treaties and conventions. The human security framework complements this by utilizing diverse actors and adopting flexible, issue-specific approaches that can operate at local, national, or international levels. Together, they create a comprehensive system for protecting human dignity.

Gandhi’s advocacy for human rights 🔗

Gandhi was ahead of his time in understanding this connection. Though he passed away before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, his work profoundly influenced the global human rights movement. In India, the freedom struggle spearheaded by Mahatma Gandhi opposed colonialism and its human rights violations through the unique concept of Ahimsa or non-violence.

When UNESCO’s first Director-General Julian Huxley sought Gandhi’s input on the theoretical basis for human rights, Gandhi’s response was characteristically profound. Rather than focusing solely on rights, he emphasized the importance of duties and responsibilities. Yet this didn’t diminish his commitment to human rights; rather, it showed his understanding that sustainable rights systems require corresponding duties and shared commitments to the common good.

Gandhi argued that true equality emerges not from legal declarations alone, but from individuals recognizing their duty to treat others with dignity and respect. His philosophy offered a way to strengthen human rights by grounding them in ethical practice and social responsibility.

The freedom struggle as a human rights movement 🔗

The entire Indian independence movement led by Gandhi was fundamentally a struggle for human rights. It wasn’t just about political independence from British rule; it was about restoring dignity, self-determination, and basic rights to millions of Indians who had been denied them under colonialism.

Satyagraha as a method for asserting rights 🔗

Gandhi’s concept of satyagraha, or truth-force, provided a practical method for asserting rights that remained consistent with his philosophy of non-violence. Unlike conventional approaches to claiming rights through legal demands or force, satyagraha operates through moral persuasion and willingness to bear suffering rather than inflict it.

This approach had three key elements: appealing to the conscience of the oppressor rather than coercing compliance; bearing witness through suffering by willingly accepting consequences rather than inflicting harm; and maintaining the dignity of all persons, including those who deny rights to others. Through satyagraha, Gandhi showed that defending human rights didn’t require violence or hatred.

His non-violent resistance movement was revolutionary, marking the first time that ahimsa was used as a political weapon to influence oppressors. It had an immense impact not only on India but on global movements for civil and political rights, influencing leaders like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr.

Fighting for fundamental freedoms 🔗

Gandhi’s campaigns addressed the full spectrum of human rights concerns. He organized movements for economic justice, such as the Champaran Satyagraha supporting indigo farmers and the Kheda Satyagraha defending peasants against unjust taxation. He fought against social injustice through his lifelong campaign against untouchability. He advocated for women’s rights and the rights of marginalized communities.

Through every Gandhian movement, he inspired millions to oppose British rule using satyagraha, boycotts, and civil disobedience, transforming India’s struggle into a mass people’s revolution. The Salt March of 1930, for instance, was both a challenge to colonial economic exploitation and an assertion of the fundamental right of Indians to benefit from their own natural resources.

These weren’t separate struggles but interconnected battles for human security and human rights. Gandhi understood that political freedom without economic security was hollow, that social equality was essential for true independence, and that individual dignity required addressing both material needs and psychological oppression.

The enduring relevance of Gandhian human security 🔗

Today, as we face complex global challenges from climate change to rising inequality, the Gandhian vision of human security rooted in human rights remains profoundly relevant. It reminds us that security isn’t just about protecting borders but about ensuring that every individual can live with dignity, free from want and fear.

Gandhi’s approach shows us that strengthening human rights and promoting human security aren’t separate goals but complementary aspects of the same project: creating a world where every person’s inherent worth is recognized and protected. His emphasis on non-violence demonstrates that we can defend rights and promote security without resorting to violence or domination.

Most importantly, Gandhi’s legacy teaches us that the struggle for human rights and human security is never finished. It requires constant vigilance, moral courage, and a willingness to stand up for the dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable. As he reminded us through his talisman, we should always ask whether our actions will benefit the poorest and weakest among us.

What do you think? How can Gandhi’s vision of connecting human security with human rights help us address today’s global challenges? In what ways might his emphasis on duties alongside rights strengthen our efforts to protect human dignity in an interconnected world?

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_security
2. https://thelaw.institute/human-rights-in-india/gandhis-vision-rights-duties-modern-human-rights/
3. https://socialwork.institute/indian-perspectives/gandhis-vision-human-nature-society/
4. https://www.rammadhav.in/articles/gandhian-approach-to-duties-and-rights/
5. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ahmisa-non-violence-gandhi-and-global-citizenship-education-gced
6. https://polsci.institute/political-theory/gandhi-duties-rights-dharma-swaraj/
7. https://testbook.com/static-gk/gandhian-freedom-movements