New York, July 22 (DPA) The lack of human rights, political and social justice as well as a stable environment has prevented individuals in Arab countries from improving, the UN Development Programme said Tuesday.

The UNDP said human security is a prerequisite for human development. But the widespread absence of security in Arab countries has reduced the ability of an Arab person to make good choices for his or her life.

In a report, the UNDP estimated that two in five Arabs live in poverty while large segments of the Arab population in low-income countries live in deprivation. The number of Arabs suffering from malnutrition has increased from 19.8 million in 1990-1992 to 25.5 million in 2002-2004.

'Human security in Arab countries is often threatened by unjust political, social and economic structures, by competition for power and resources among fragmented groups, and in some cases, by the impacts of external military intervention,' UNDP said in releasing its 2009 report on Challenges to Human Security in the Arab Countries.

Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, UNDP director for the regional bureau for Arab states, said human security is not only threatened by military conflict and civil unrest. It is also threatened by environmental degradation, discrimination, unemployment, poverty and hunger.

'Only if these sources of insecurity are addressed in a holistic manner will the people of the Arab region be able to make progress in human development,' he said.

UNDP offered the concept of human security as a way to revamp development policy in Arab countries so it can have the greatest impact on human well-being. It called for strengthening the rule of law to guarantee each person's rights to freedoms and opportunities.