Freedom from Want

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.”
Article 25, stated above, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights particularly caught my attention because it reminded me of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” speech. Roosevelt states, “The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, mean economics understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world.” Roosevelt is referring to basic economic necessities that promote a successful life such as healthcare, employment, and shelter. Part 1 of article 25 touches upon all the common services an individual may need throughout their lifetime. The goal of article 25 has not been achieved in the United States. With the increasing costs of medical care, health insurance has become a necessity in order to receive sufficient medical attention. In the New York Times article, Obama Will Ease Restraints on States’ Health Insurance Programs for Children, former President Bush’s health insurance policies were discussed. The article states, “Under the Bush policy, the federal government said it would not allow states to cover children from families with annual incomes above 250 percent of the poverty level — $53,000 for a family of four — unless they met several preconditions. To qualify, a state must demonstrate that at least 95 percent of eligible children in families making less than 200 percent of the poverty level have already been enrolled in Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.” The article continues to explain that this requirement was in effect to make sure poor children received medical care first. Under this policy many children from middle class families did not receive the medical care they needed. It does not seem right to limit the availability of medical care for children based on their parent’s income and the number of families below the poverty line with children enrolled in insurance programs.
The second part of article 25 which states, “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,” particularly stood out to me because of articles I have read in the past that discuss Islamic law and the punishment for committing adultery. The New York Times article, Facing Death for Adultery, Nigerian Woman is Acquitted, discussed Amina Lawal, a woman who was sentenced to death by stoning after committing adultery. The main piece of evidence against her was her two year old daughter. Amina was to be executed as soon as she had finished weaning the child. The man who she identified as the father denied the charge and was deemed innocent. DNA testing was never even considered. Shariah, or Islamic law is not concordance with the second part of article 25. Article 25 speaks specifically about social protection for a child whether born in or out of wedlock and in this situation executing the child’s mother is not protecting the young child. Nigeria is a country populated by both Muslims and Christians. Fortunately, Amina’s sentence was overturned and she was allowed to live but not after a long struggle and certain technicalities. This article was published in 2003 but a recent article published in the New York Times at the end of last year titled, Rape Victim Stoned to Death in Somalia Was 13, U.N. Says, shows that stoning to death is still prevalent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20health.html?scp=7&sq=health%20insurance&st=cse

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9900E0D9153DF935A1575AC0A9659C8B63

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/world/africa/05somalia.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss