Human Rights Abuse Means Incapacitation In Addressing Life's Needs

Abraham Maslow analyzed and set down the different aspects through which life becomes fulfilling. Life is something we enjoy. It is an expression. It is something that has milestones.It is more than one thing or aspect. Life is the air we breathe, food we eat, sound we hear,  the friends we make, the conversations we exchange, the rules and regulations we enact or follow. According to Abraham Maslow, there are needs we have to fulfill as we move toward self actualization. Maslow categorized the needs as: physiological; security and safety; love/belonging; Esteem; and self-actualization. It is through these that we are able to synthesize which kind of information, services and goods we need (http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/conation/maslow.html). 

By physiological needs, he meant: breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, clothing and other basic aspects.

By security needs, he meant: security of; body, morality, family, school, community, employment, property, health and other contexts within which one derives sustenance. 

By love/belonging needs, he meant: socialization, friendship, sexual intimacy, cooperation and being part of other groups.

By esteem needs, he meant: confidence, respect of others, respect by others, achievement and self-esteem.

By self-actualization needs, he meant: morality, creativity, spontaneity, problem-solving, lack of prejudice and acceptance of facts. 

For marginalized communities and refugees, these issues are so apparent and are never taken for granted. We are aware of how housing or shelter impacts our well-being. Perhaps when one hears the term well-being it may not have an immediate application. Again, many may ask how housing or shelter affect well-being.

The needs one has affect or uphold the aspects that contribute to well-being or deduct from it. Remember, when we provide services or goods we are actually adding to well-being or satisfaction. When we deduct from it we are depriving individuals of well-being or satisfaction.  The marginalized communities, refugees and LGBTIQQ are more likely to be at the receiving of ridicule, human rights abuses, assault, disowned by families, communities, are more likely to be arrested by security organs and more likely to face house evictions at any time. The people who are in positions of power refer to LGBTIQQ and their homosexual orientation as a flaw and psychological abnormality. That blanket attribution, however stale it is, has been accepted by the society and media fans the conversation in many ways. This has created a context in which LGBTIQQ are abused with impunity. They cannot seek recourse to address these abuses.

When we talk of abuses, we should be aware of the impact these abuses have on the physiological, security/safety, love/belonging, esteem and self actualization of an individual. For activists, advocates and allies where there is talk of abuses, straight away we should consider all the life needs and try to assess what is most important to address and ensure restitution.