HIV/AIDS as a human security issue: The Nigerian case

This study demonstrates the relationship between HIV/AIDS and human security in Nigeria, focusing on three conceptual frameworks of human security namely economic security, family security and community institutions (that is the military and education sectors). I specifically examined how HIV/AIDS affects the economy with its impact on labour and production through crippling the most productive work force in the Nigerian society. Furthermore, I examined the impact of HIV/AIDS on family income, psychology and emotions when an individual in the family is affected. I further demonstrate how HIV/AIDS limits family's ability to provide for themselves as well as social discrimination and stigmatization families face as a result of an AIDS infection. Lastly, the study examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on the military and education sectors in Nigeria, examining the consequences of an HIV/AIDS infected military which directly affects military preparedness. Subsequently, I looked at the impact of HIV/AIDS on education and how the death of teachers affects teachers demand and supply as well as how it cripples the quality of education that students receive. Theoretically, human security is used as the framework in addressing the magnitude of HIV/AIDS on the economic, family and community institutions in Nigeria. It helps to highlight the severity of the problem because the concept defines the relationship between human security and human development. Practically, this framework presents logical challenges to the explanation of HIV/AIDS and how it affects society because it stresses that policy makers reexamine strategies and develop policy for the fight against the epidemic.