A People-Centered Approach to Peace: GPPAC Director speaks at UN High Level Event

On February 28, our Executive Director, Darynell Rodriguez Torres, was in New York to speak at a UN High Level Event marking 25 years of Human Security. The event “Human Security at 25: Building on its contributions to achieve the SDGs” aimed to provide a forum for exchanging experiences and perspectives on the contributions that the human security approach has made within and beyond the United Nations.

25 years since it was introduced as a concept at the UN, human security has become, as Darynell states, “one of the, if not the, most useful concepts to assess progress and achievement with regards to SDGs.” This is one of the main reasons that, in whatever area they are working, GPPAC and its member organizations use the human security approach as the umbrella that guides the work. Therefore, GPPAC has been using the concept of human security to build sustainable peace by addressing social, economic, and political grievances that are often the root causes of violent conflict.

In his speech, Darynell highlighted the importance of dialogue as a means to achieving sustainable peace. He went on to emphasize the need for international peacebuilding organisations to create spaces for local actors at multilateral forums. These actors should be able to bring their voices to these forums and reflect on what it means to be secure. He stressed that human security is about creating our own reality; rather than being passive, we must become creators and agents of change for our own security in cooperation with others. GPPAC’s Executive Director finished by reminding everyone that, in this regard, the UN and other organisations have a role in enabling people to have those conversations that allow them to be free from fear, free from want, and free from indignity.