SDGs and Local Communities: How to Create Human Security Indicators in Your Town!

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In February 2024, the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development (JICA Ogata Research Institute) published an English-language book titled SDGs and Local Communities: How to Create Human Security Indicators in Your Town !

The book addresses the core objective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—an inclusive society in which no one is left behind—and the significance of human security and meaning of human dignity. In this book, Miyagi Prefecture of Japan, which was severely affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, is used as a case study to explain the reasoning behind the development of human security indicators. By examining the challenges faced by Miyagi Prefecture, the book provides recommendations on how to create a society where no one is left behind. The book also presents ways to develop and use human security indicators by providing specific examples of resilience-building by victims of natural disasters and reconstruction initiatives involving resident participation.

On the basis of the recognition of the need for renewed awareness of human security challenges in Japan, a developed country, a sister book titled SDGs and Japan: Human Security Indicators for Leaving No One Behind was publsihed in November 2020. This book provides a set of national-level human security indicators for Japan to highlight the challenges experienced by each prefecture. However, to better highlight people’s issues, it is also important to create municipal-level indicators that are more closely linked to the lives of residents. These indicators can contribute to resident-led, community-based development.

Making this book accessible in English will contribute to internationally disseminating comprehensive indicators for the elements of human security with an emphasis on human dignity at its heart. It will also contribute to the international discourse on SDG implementation at subnational levels (localization), with case studies on indicator development by Miyagi residents. By developing and using such indicators, Japan and JICA are expected to make great contributions to the promotion of global human security.

Takasu Yukio, the special adviser on Human Security to the United Nations Secretary-General and Mine Yoichi, executive director of the JICA Ogata Research Insitute were the co-editors of the Japanese book and supervising editors of its English version. The researchers involved in the publication and translation of this English version were Orita Tomomi, an executive senior research fellow; Muto Ako, a specially appointed research fellow; Tsuchiya Tsunetaka, a research officer; and Yamamoto Jenny Fuyou, Sugitani Kota, and Ochiai Yui, research assistants at the JICA Ogata Research Institute.

The book can be downloaded from the below links:

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Authors
Takasu Yukio, MINE Yoichi, JICA Ogata Research Institute
Date of issuance
February 2024
Language
English
Number of pages
287
Research area
Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Support
ISBN
978-4-86357-104-4

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