Essay On Human Rights

Abraham Lincoln once stated, “Whenever there is a conflict between human rights and property rights, human rights must prevail.” Upon the foundation of this country, a person’s basic rights are granted under the Declaration of Independence. Our democratic political system is constructed to ensure every citizen their rights are protected by this document. The founding fathers of this country formulated this document to keep this nation together and establish a sense of freedom, justice, and liberty. Race, gender, economic and political status, and types of communities are various factors that come into play when deciding means of action on a national and local level. Social determinants constrain and predict the quality of living in particular geographic locations. In many struggling communities, equal opportunities are not made available for residents compared to a community where they are not deprived of resources because of their social status. Although there are an ample amount of federally funded programs offered throughout the country, the process of gaining access and acceptance into these programs complicates the situation on many people. With such tight regulations on who is eligible to apply for government assisted programs, it increases the numbers of victims of poverty. Imagine being denied because your income does not meet the criteria or getting denied because you were previously evicted due to lack of funds. It is unjust for people to be put under this type of stress if they are potentially falling into the lines of poverty and homelessness.

Without the accessibility of basic necessities, the issue draws parallels between accessibility and discrimination. Poverty and inequality exists in every developed country and...

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..., but scarce supply. Insufficient housing assistance means that most poor families or individuals seeking assistance will be placed on extensive waiting lists. The average waiting period for a Section 8 voucher is currently between 26 to 28 months (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2002). In the waiting time period, people must remain in inconvenient living arrangements, reside in shelters, or even living on the streets until a spot is available for them. Considering the large amounts of people who apply for housing may be very time consuming, however the people’s needs and safety are being placed on the back burner. The federal housing policy does not respond nor adhere to the needs of low-income households, meanwhile they are disproportionately benefiting the wealthiest Americans. Contrary to the popular opinion, welfare assistance does not provide relief from poverty.