Universal human rights refer to the basic or essential needs that are required by every individual for survival. When people are provided with basic needs, it leads to peaceful living among groups and communities. Majority of people depend on river water and other geographical resources to satisfy their needs. Other needs required by all people for survival includes economic stability, social interaction and security (Kraska, 2009). Kraska further suggests that if human societies are not allowed to enjoy their universal rights, conflicts are likely to occur. Providing these needs to people ensures peace and harmony among people. Access to internet is also one of the universal human rights. This is because the number of people using internet has increased over the last few decades and it has become one of the major factors that determine social, political and economic life of all people across the world. Additionally, the process of globalization and global governance which is becoming common also depends on the use of internet (Nye, 2014). Universal human needs should be provided to people free of charge. Attempting to provide them at a fee or selling them is likely to result into social, economic and political conflict (Trawick, 2003).
On the other hand, privileges or luxury are secondary human wants which can be obtained at a specific cost or those which are not a must required for people to have in order to survive. A privilege or luxury is therefore a good or service which is acquired for the purposes of comfort or status (Berry, 1994). While a need may be considered as basic among a certain group of people, the same need may be considered a secondary need or luxury in a different group of individuals. The difference between a universal human right and a privilege is determined by factors such as economy, politics and social status of individuals. Globalization is seen as the best way through which people can realize what universal human rights are and the difference between those rights and privileges or luxury.
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Therefore, the difference between universal human rights and privileges is dependent upon a number of economic, social and political factors. Efforts to achieve globalization can also help to mainstream the difference between these needs and ultimately establish global standards for both basic needs and privileges.
Most things that we take for granted are essential human rights and are necessary for survival. These include access to clean water, access to the internet, freedom of movement, access to education among other needs. This is because denial of such rights to humans is likely to result into different reactions, some of which may lead to conflicts. Specifically, access to clean water is more important and essential in almost all aspects of human life. According to Winler (2005), water is more important than even land. This is because nothing productive can be done with land if there is no water. Water is a universal natural resource which when misused in one place, its effect and damage in another place is felt (Winler, 2005). While most people are likely to take for granted their need to access the internet, it is only through the use of internet that globalization can be achieved (Nye, 2014).
Faist (2002) emphasizes on the need for security as a basic human need. Security is required in order to achieve all other things. The life of Americans have never been the same after the terrorist incident of Sep 11, 2001 that claimed almost 3000 lives, left many injured and caused massive destruction of property (Faist, 2002). There have been efforts to bring the situation back to normal in order to restore peace and security in America and in the world at large (Faist, 2002).
The developed north has the ideal standards of providing universal rights to people. The developed north is richer and more developed compared to the southern region which is somehow underdeveloped and lags behind in terms of provision of universal rights to people. The developed north has good laws that regulate its environment and favors all the people. However, in underdeveloped or third world countries, social problems and conflicts are likely to arise among the people. Even if there is peace in some third world countries, it is not stable and long-term. According to Kraska (2009), long-term peace and security is not possible without stable environmental security. In the developed north, environmental security is stable and this is manifested in matters that concern basic human rights such as access to clean water and security. Therefore, if the developed north is used as a model for other nations to follow, possibilities that the world will experience economic, social and political stability are high. The process of globalization should follow what is happening in the developed north for other countries in the world to emulate.
In summary, universal human rights are necessary for survival by everyone. Lack of universal human rights causes conflicts in different areas of human life. Privileges or luxury refer to the secondary needs such as the need for status. Most of the things that we take for granted such as access to clean water, security and internet are essential and without them, conflict is likely to arise. The developed north is the can be used as the model for other countries to emulate since it experiences stability as a result of complete provision of universal needs to people.
References
Berry, C. J. (1994). The idea of luxury: A conceptual and historical investigation (Vol. 30). Cambridge University Press.
Faist, T. (2002). “Extension du domaine de la lutte”: International Migration and Security Before and After September 11, 2001. International Migration Review , 36 (1), 7-14.
Kraska, J. (2009). Sharing water, preventing war—Hydrodiplomacy in South Asia. Diplomacy & Statecraft , 20 (3), 515-530.
Nye, J. S. (2014). The Regime Complex for Managing Global Cyber Activities. The Centre for International Governance; Global Commission on Internet Governance: Paper Series No. 1.
Trawick, P. (2003). Against the privatization of water: An indigenous model for improving existing laws and successfully governing the commons. World Development , 31 (6), 977-996.
Wilner, A. S. (2005). Freshwater scarcity and hydropolitical conflict: Between the science of freshwater and the politics of conflict. Journal of Military and Strategic Studies , 8 (1).
