African Environmental and Human Security in the 21st Century By ...

such a threat? First, with the end of the Cold War, democracy's ideological competitor, communism, was defeated. This radical form of political Islam has filled an ideological vacuum. It is dangerous because it appeals to people who are suffering from societal, political, and economic despair and seemingly have nowhere else to turn. Unfortunately, this radicalization prohibits long-term development as measured by the components of human security. For example, in the southern areas of Niger that are influenced by Nigeria's northern Islamic radical elements, women are told not to vaccinate their children because the vaccinations are a conspiracy of the West to sterilize them. Consequently, children are contracting preventable diseases such as polio. The 2002 UNDP Arab Human Development Report noted the three deficits facing the Arab world: “the freedom deficit; women's empowerment deficit; and, the human capabilities/knowledge deficit relative to income.”⁴⁷ A radical agenda does not address these deficits for the Arab region or any other region and leaves the most marginalized segment of the population in status quo.

Even the radicals themselves put aside ideology for pragmatism. They are able to identify vulnerable groups and develop loyalties in place of states that cannot deliver basic needs to their population. Herein lies the danger of weak and failing states. Not only do they provide safe havens for terrorists, either wittingly or unwittingly, but they also present extremely vulnerable populations that are susceptible to radicalization in the absence of any alternatives.

Political and Civil Inequalities and Violence

Conditions that magnify a population's vulnerabilities stem from illegitimate governments that stifle political and civil equalities while failing to protect and enforce rule of law. An inability to enforce rule of law invites a potent mix of criminals, terrorists, smugglers, human traffickers, and so on, who have a tendency to reinforce each other's activities. These various criminal and terrorist groups have developed alliances due to both globalization and the availability of weak and failing states. “The absence of rule of law…provides ideal conditions for the blending of criminal and terrorist activities. Economic hardship in many of these