4.4 We prevent people from meeting their needs
Because of the current social and economic choices we make in our society, we make it very difficult and sometimes impossible for some people to meet their needs. We see plenty of examples of this in various places.
Within organizations
Many people work with hazardous substances or in hazardous environments, which can lead to disability, illness, and, in severe cases, even death. But consider also the lack of autonomy in your work, having to perform mind-numbing tasks, sexual harassment, or other forms of abuse of power. In organizations, people may face work-related stress or bullying, which can take a toll on their mental and physical health. At France Telecom, as many as 18 people committed suicide due to the toxic culture of harassment.
In society
Due to government policies and/or budget cuts, people are finding it harder to access quality healthcare, or are spending too large a portion of their income on it. At the same time, poverty is rising rapidly in the Netherlands. This further reduces the scope for meeting other needs, such as sports, recreation, or healthy food. In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in the number of people with psychosocial issues for whom there is no available help and who are causing increasing public nuisance. Consider also the growing group of older adults and single people who are becoming increasingly isolated.
Worldwide and across a wide range of industries
Around the world, there are still conflicts of a religious or geopolitical nature that sometimes force entire population groups to flee. As a result, they lose a significant portion of the resources they need to meet their basic needs. All over the world, we still see modern forms of slavery (such as in the textile industry or in mines), or people face serious health risks in the production of luxury goods (think of leather dyeing, cobalt mining, recycling of discarded goods, etc.). But the pollution of habitats caused by oil or shale gas extraction also makes it impossible for people to meet their needs.
We see that, at various systemic levels, people are structurally prevented from meeting their basic needs. This is the fourth root cause of unsustainability, namely: