REDEFINING HUMAN SECURITY CONCERNS:

NEW MEDIA AND SOCIAL NEW MEDIA AND SOCIAL TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

Engaging the next generation of leaders

The Emerging Power of Social Media

•Social networking tools serve as an equalizer and have a multiplier effect with the opportunity to give a voice to anyone with a cell phone or internet connection

• Access- this is the key word for the impact of new tools– although access doesn’t necessitate participation– such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr

•Important to remember that these are tools that require mobilization in order to be effective

Web 2.0: Impact of Social Media Tools

Iranian election protests 2009- US State Department urges Twitter to delay maintenance

Arab Spring- “Channels of facilitation” or “Causal relationship”? Egyptian Army on Facebook Wael Ghonim of Google

Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi demands access to social media 1500 bloggers, 500 blog regularly

New record: 3000 tweets per second – Osama bin Laden

Ushahidi: ‘Testimony’•Began as a program developed to record acts of violence in Kenya during the post-election 2008 fallout

•Allows individuals to send reports via SMS message and website

•Implementation cases•India•DRC•Zambia•Philippines•Haiti

The Importance of Linkages Human security as a cohesive and porous

concept: disarmament, protection of civilians, and women’s participation

Synergistic relationship Small arms as an instigator of and instrument for

perpetration of mass atrocities Dearth of gender-focused DDR programs in post-

conflict societies Identifying women’s participation as crucial to all

peace processes Utilizing social networking tools to provide

the platform and facilitate discussion of such linkages

Disarmament DialoguesA Case Study

Engaging youth to discuss and re-define human security concerns, with a focus on disarmament, in light of the shift in security concerns and architecture

Opportunities for linkages and interaction

Seeking to secure a place for disarmament on the international agenda that is relevant, contemporary, and effective

Provide “insider” information in the hopes of educating, but also seeking to engage using tools that are, in large part, already mainstream

Diversity of Audience New York UN missions Government officials/MPs Human rights activists UN agencies NGOs Students Private sector practitioners

Tweeting and Engaging on Wide-ranging Issues

@DisarmDialogues Finally - some common sense from a gov! RT @TIME Japan has decided to stop building new nuclear plants ti.me/kzHQq6

@DisarmDialogues penalties and sanctions? Do they mention how the proceeds from those are used? One possible way - #victimassistance.

RT @DisarmDialogues: Challenges of making marking of #smallarms a uniform process discussion @UN meeting - what about using the #armstreaty?

@DisarmDialogues Discutiendo en la #ONU cómo los países marcan las #armas ligeras desde importación hasta exportación y esfuerzos de desarme

@DisarmDialogues Can anyone argue a positive impact of the Conference of Disarmament in the last 15 years? Which future for the CD? Reform?

Critical Questions

How can social media and technologies be used to engage youth in addressing pressing human security concerns?

What are some of the challenges and dangers facing users of these tools?

In addition to early-warning mechanisms, how do you think these tools can be used as conversation starters among the next generation of policy stakeholders?

How can social media tools help to not just pass on this work to young practitioners, but also appropriately re-define it for their generation?

Join the Conversation!

Twitter: @DisarmDialogues

Facebook Page: Disarmament Dialogues

Contact: Katherine Prizemankatherine@globalactionpw.org