This paper examines the arguments and proposals for including a security-related target in the post-Millennium Development Goal (MDG) framework.

The paper begins by examining the basis for the proposals, setting out how security and development are correlated. Secondly, the paper goes on to set out how the proposals within the policy literature on how security could be included in the post-2015 framework, highlighting at least five schools of thought on how this might be done. Thirdly, some of the key constituencies either pushing for or likely to support a security-related target are examined, before finally addressing some of the challenges around developing such a goal, with its attendant targets and indicators.

While there appears to be a growing community of support for the inclusion of security as part of the new development framework, the manner in which this is to be done remains varied and inconsistent across this community.

As a result, it is as yet unclear whether security is a credible potential goal for inclusion in the new framework.