Monday, January 25, 2010

Human Rights are Based on Human Needs

Human needs are the needs we must have in order to lead a full life. (South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre. 2000: 10) When discussing human needs, it is important to distinguish between human needs and human wants. Our wants are the things which we desire in our lives, but are not essential to our existence. Human Rights do not encompass all our wants, but the needs that are recognized internationally and locally as essential for existence.