VIT-AP Law School to focus on human security studies

Hyderabad: Do lawyers have any role in the policymaking by the state and the Central governments? Practising before courts and tribunals has been the traditional role for them for long. But, the role of lawyers has been increasing in the changing landscape of law and governance in human security studies.

Speaking to The Hans India, Dr Benarji Chakka, Dean and Professor of Law, at VIT-AP School of Law said, "Human security is a new perspective being developed from the national security perspective. It takes into consideration lots of conflicts going around and across the international and non-international armed conflicts and insurgency."

At present, the ministry of home affairs, paramilitary, military design and devise strategies on insurgency-counterinsurgency, and counter-terrorism. There is a law available on international and non-international armed conflicts. But, there is no policy on human security in the country. Particularly, when major incidents like terrorist attacks take place from the different targeted population. "We don't have any kind of policy to protect the victims of insurgency and other violent attacks happening," he says

This has made the VIT-AP School of Law, first in AP to join hands with the Centre for Human Security Studies (CHSS), a Hyderabad-based thinktank, to conduct studies and research on human security studies.

Prof. Benarji said the UN agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) insists every country have human security mechanisms in place aligned to the SDGs by 2030.

The main focus is to analyse, develop and moot policy solutions with different strategies on how to provide security to human beings during emergencies.

"Development of standards operating procedures (SOPs), rules of engagement, preparedness with appropriate mechanisms are needed, he said.

In all, there are 10 areas that the VIT-AP School of Law works. They include energy security, coastal security, maritime security, aviation security, technology security, health emergencies like Covid pandemic and epidemic breakouts falls within the human security domain.

VIT-AP University Vice-Chancellor V Kota Reddy said that the university is committed to creating a Centre of Excellence in cyber security and law. It will work holistically to provide better solutions to society among other security issues at hand to study.

The law school intends to take up to do some research, conduct analysis and some groundwork and how to strengthen the security of fishermen, villagers near the coastal zones as they are frontline stakeholders.

Further, AP is increasingly getting industrialised. The recent industrial accident at Visakhapatnam warrants policy interventions. The corporations which adhere to their legal obligations in their own countries for strange reasons neglect the same when they operate in countries like India. Such issues need to be studied to provide inputs to the governments on actions that need to be taken.