02 Basic Rights & Needs

This is the second in a series of Blogs on personal management and how to lead a life worth living and through this be happy.  Do we have a right to happiness?

What are human basic rights and needs?  Can you lead a life worth living and be happy if they are not met?  It's a tricky question because to a degree they are historically and culturally specific for each individual.  What follows is an introduction to the subject to help you make up your own mind.

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In part as a consequence of the atrocities of the second world war the United Nations developed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948.   The declaration consists of 30 Articles affirming the individuals human rights of everybody.

The preamble starts....

'Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people .......'

Each article states a specific right.  For example:

Article 1.
 

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood

Article 25.
 

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

The full Declaration can be found at the UN link above.

Oxfam and Basic Rights

Oxfam, the global organisation that fights inequality and poverty, has in part a rights based approach to their work.  They developed a Global Charter for Basic Rights that is perhaps an easier way to understand human rights issues.

Every person has a basic right to:

- a home

- clean water

- enough to eat

- a safe environment

- protection from violence

- equality of opportunity

- a say in their future

- an education

- a livelihood

- health care

(Taken from 'Words into Action, Basic rights and the campaign against world poverty.)  For Oxfam a lack of these rights is the basis of much world poverty.

Each of these rights can be expressed differently for different cultures but the list is a good way to understand basic rights. For example a home can mean many things, not necessarily a house.

Personalise it - can you lead a life worth living and be happy if one or more of these rights are not met?

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Another way of looking at human rights and needs is through Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.  This is a motivation theory in psychology often depicted as a 5 tier pyramid of hierarchical need.  The 5 levels of need are:

Each level of need is dependent upon the ones below being met.  We are living things so our physiological needs have to be met.  We have to feel secure within our home, village, community etc.  Only then can our psychological needs be met.  Self-fulfillment and achieving one's full potential, only comes when all the other needs are met.   So do we have a right to happiness?  For me it's still a difficult question.  A  rights based analysis is rationale but happiness is an emotion.  Except when someone is in absolute poverty or need, experience has taught me, usually when collaborating with others, that you can be happy when working towards meeting a basic human right, and that’s different to have a right to happiness.  It does reinforce my thought that happiness comes only when you have a purpose and lead a meaningful life.

The next Blog is about strength based philosophy.

I welcome feedback.  Please contact me.