When we speak of human rights, many may think of the rights to life, liberty, equality, and freedom of expression. Still others may call for the human right to have access to clean water, food, and shelter. In the digital age, with the onset of AI and the digitalization of our world, some also argue that there is a human right to access the internet in order to effectively participate in the social fabric of society. These are all incredibly important things to consider and hold tremendous value in our understanding of what human rights are, as both related to physical needs and our ability to participate in our society.
However, on this Human Rights Day,
as we reflect on the meaning of human rights in today’s world, I invite us all to think a bit deeper. What do you consider a human right? What does it mean to live with dignity, to flourish, and to belong?
French philosopher Simone Weil, in her collection The Need for Roots, challenges us to think differently about human rights and belonging. Weil offers an understanding of human rights based on the perspective that humans have fundamental “needs of the soul.” These needs must be met on the same level as food, water, and shelter, in order for people to thrive. Among them is perhaps the most important: the need for roots — a deep sense of belonging to a place, a community, and a shared history.
Weil believed that the greatest tragedy of our time is the uprootedness of people — ripped away from their communities, cultures, and lands. This uprootedness points to a deeper question: Whether belonging itself should be recognized as a human right. This idea resonates when we think about the legacies of colonization, the displacement of Indigenous peoples, and the countless lives disrupted by war, migration, and exploitation. Entire cultures, histories, and languages have been lost — and with that, the sense of belonging. I can also connect this story of loss with my own family history, with my grandparents fleeing to Canada in World War 2, escaping war but also leaving behind homes, family, friends, history and belonging.
When people or communities become uprooted, they lose touch with where they come from and what gives their lives meaning. Having roots gives us a sense of direction and belonging; it connects us to others and helps us understand our purpose. Without that grounding, people can start to feel lost, disconnected, or easily influenced by outside forces. We can see this happening now in our society and political climate. It is easy to be swayed when we have no strong foundation or community to lean on.
Weil’s idea suggests that rebuilding a healthy society isn’t just about fixing laws or economies. It is about restoring the deeper connections that help people feel part of something larger than themselves.
I encourage you to think of your own story and family histories, and how the loss of roots (in whatever form) impacts you today. As we reflect on human rights and the foundations of human dignity, perhaps we can see them not only as protections against harm but as affirmations of what human’s need in addition to the fundamentals of food, water, and shelter. We also deserve dignity, belonging, connection, and roots — places where we feel that we can belong, and have a strong foundation, and a shared purpose with others.
Is there a place that you know that you feel a strong sense of connection? How would you feel if you had to leave it, never to return again? What would this do to your spirit? How would you move on? Do you feel this connection should be considered an inalienable human right, as important as food and water?