For the past seven months, Bermuda Is Love has organised monthly campaigns, including #ZeroHunger, #Housing4All, #Share&Wear, #HealthIsWealth, #Right2Learn, #1Planet1Plane and #FightForJustice, which focus on advocating for human rights to food, housing, clothing, healthcare, education, a healthy environment and access to justice.

Bermuda Is Love believes that these seven rights make up what we refer to as “basic material needs”.

Without access to these basic material needs, a person’s life is threatened. This is unacceptable when we live in a country of extreme wealth and inequality; and where it is clear that there is enough material wealth for all to prosper, even though this wealth is not evenly distributed.

In short, there are many Bermudians who have and many who do not, creating a clear divide between the rich and the poor, which has persisted far too long in our society owing to slavery, segregation, colonialism, systemic racism and classism — and more recently exacerbated by the pandemic and the rising cost of living.

Such extremes of inequality are not natural, nor should they ever be accepted. It is a moral injustice that threatens the quality of life of all in Bermuda. No person should be allowed to live in poverty while others prosper. No persons should be allowed to exploit other people for economic gain. This disparity affects not only the legitimacy of our democracy, as those with wealth are able to use the system to their advantage, but it further disgraces the very essence of what it means to be human.

We are all equal. And we all deserve to be treated as such. None of us exist alone. We depend on each other to survive. Therefore, all of our successes, just as our failures, must be shared together as one society, as one people. As a result, each and every one of us has the responsibility to repair the injustices of the past and present, and fight for equality, specifically the economic equality of all.

Bermuda Is Love believes that addressing the economic inequality of our time is the most important issue facing society today. By ensuring that everyone has their basic needs met, we help to usher in a new age of equality, prosperity, wealth and progress to be shared by all of humanity, not just those with wealth or status. By doing so, we can transform society into a truly equal, just and ultimately free society, where everyone lives with dignity, respect and opportunity to become the best version of themselves.

As a result, we argue for the introduction of a Bermudian economic bill of rights that will guarantee social and economic rights for one’s basic needs, thus ensuring economic security, social security and moral security for everyone.

What is the purpose of life, if not to build a better future for all? We cannot be content, no matter how high Bermuda’s general standard of living, if a fraction of our society is unable to meet its own basic needs. We cannot be content that there are those experiencing homelessness, poverty or food insecurity. Such realities obligate our call to action — and require a change of thinking about the rights that we hold dear.

In Bermuda today, there are clearly certain rights that we recognise as self-evident, that we accept to be true — civil rights, the right to vote, the right to not be enslaved regardless of race or nationality, the principles of equality as defined by our democracy. These principles are important for human prosperity, happiness and wellbeing.

So, too, do we then assert the principles of a bill of rights to push Bermuda forward to new heights of human prosperity, happiness and wellbeing.

Bermuda is more than an idyllic paradise. It is more than its beaches, more than its financial sector. It is a place where humans are born, where families and individuals come together, where relationships flourish, and where lives lived are celebrated and treasured.

It is in this life that we share together, that the true meaning of human prosperity takes place. It is yours and it is mine, together, for everyone. We urge you to feel these words in your heart and mind, and recognise, as self-evident, that everyone has the right to have their basic material needs met.

Every Bermudian is entitled to:

• The right to food: To right to feed oneself in dignity, through physical and economic access to clean, sustainable and nutritious food, protects against poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition and starvation

• The right to housing: The right to a safe, stable and sustainable home, to live in security, peace and dignity without threat of being evicted or having your home or lands taken away, ensures the stability and security for an individual or family

• The right to clothing: The right to have direct access to good-quality, ethically made, long-lasting, sustainable clothing, regardless of one’s economic or geographic position, helps to maintain dignity, self-confidence, self-respect and affirm one’s identity

• The right to healthcare: The right to receive the highest attainable standard of health through free healthcare services, which are appropriate to one’s own needs and preferences, improves the health of the community, and protects against disease, violence, poverty and social exclusion.

• The right to education: The right to receive free primary, secondary and tertiary education that is suited to one’s age, ability, special needs, aptitude and health, opens the untapped reservoir of human understanding, curiosity and progress

• The right to a healthy environment: The right to a safe, healthy and sustainable environment, including clean air, potable water and a stable climate, ensures the protection of human life today and for future generations to come

• The right to justice: The right of equal access to justice for all, regardless of one’s economic status or class, upholds impartiality and the rule of law, and ensures that everyone’s rights are protected and that there is no discrimination in the administration of justice

• Aaron Crichlow is the cofounder of Bermuda Is Love