University of Asia Pacific
Department of Law and Human Rights
Lesson Plan
Course Code & Title
Semester:
Teacher:
Office/Room:
Consultation/Contact Time:
08:45am to 6:00 pm(excluding the hours indicated
for the class hour)
Email:
Mobile:
Course Overview:
Course Outline:
Law-235 :Human Rights & Humanitarian Law
2nd year 2nd Semester
Abdullah Al Noman
House # 74 Bikalpo Tower (5th floor), Road # 5/A, Dhanmondi,
Dhaka-1209.
Class Hours :
Day 1(Sun day)
3:00pm-3:55pm, Room No-601
Day 2( Mon day)
12:00pm-12:55pm, Room No-201
Day 3( Tues day)
12:00pm-12:55pm, Room No-201
Day 4(Wednesday)
3:00pm-3:55pm, Room No-201
abdullah@uap-bd.edu
01925730720
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable
fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled
simply because she or he is a human being."Human rights are
thus
conceived
as universal (applicable
everywhere)
and egalitarian (the same for everyone). These rights may exist
as natural rights or as legal rights, in local, regional, national,
and international law.The doctrine of human rights in
international practice, within international law, global and
regional institutions, in the policies of states and in the activities
of non-governmental organizations, has been a cornerstone
of public policy around the world. The idea of human rights
states, "if the public discourse of peacetime global society can
be said to have a common moral language, it is that of human
rights." Despite this, the strong claims made by the doctrine of
human rights continue to provoke considerable skepticism and
debates about the content, nature and justifications of human
rights to this day. Indeed, the question of what is meant by a
"right" is itself controversial and the subject of continued
philosophical debate.
International humanitarian law (IHL), or the law of armed
conflict, is the law that regulates the conduct of armed conflicts
(jus in bello). It is that branch of international law which seeks
to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting persons who
are not or no longer participating in hostilities, and by restricting
and regulating the means and methods of warfare available to
combatants. IHL is inspired by considerations of humanity and
the mitigation of human suffering. "It comprises a set of rules,
established by treaty or custom, that seeks to protect persons and
property/objects that are (or may be) affected by armed conflict
and limits the rights of parties to a conflict to use methods and
means of warfare of their choice".It includes "the Geneva
Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent
treaties, case law, and customary international law." ] It defines
the conduct and responsibilities of belligerent nations, neutral
nations and individuals engaged in warfare, in relation to each
other and to protected persons, usually meaning civilians. It is
designed to balance humanitarian concerns and military
necessity, and subjects warfare to the rule of law by limiting its
destructive effect and mitigating human suffering.
Basic concept of Human Rights, Historical Development of
Human Rights, Sources of International Human Rights Law,
Classification and Generations of Human Rights, Application of
the Basic Documents of International Human Rights Law at
National level, National Human Rights Commission of
Course objectives:
Teaching Method:
Prerequisites:
Week
1
Class Date
03-11-13
04-11-13
05-11-13
06-11-13
2
10-11-13
11-11-13
12-11-13
13-11-13
3
17-11-13
18-11-13
19-11-13
20-11-13
4
24-11-13
25-11-13
26-11-13
27-11-13
5
1-12-13
Bangladesh(Establishment, Mandate, Powers, Function &
complaint procedure), Preventive Detention & Human Rights,
Human Rights & Religion etc.
Basic concept of International Humanitarian Law(IHL),
Principles of IHL, Historical Development of IHL, Sources of
IHL, International Committee of Red Cross(Establishment,
Mandate, Function), Geneva Conventions and its optional
protocol etc.
The main objective of the course to provides an in-depth
understanding of Human Rights Law & International
Humanitarian Law, both International and Domestic level.
Lectures, Lab works, assignments, interactive sessions, field
trips etc.
N/A
Course schedule/ Class schedule
Topic
Reading assignment
Work assignment
Definition of Human
Human
Rights
To prepare assignment titled
Rights, Human Rights
Violation & Criminal
“Impact of Human Rights in
Violation & Criminal
offence
Bangladesh Constitution”
offence, Distinction
Between Human Rights &
Fundamental Rights
Historical Background of
Human Rights
Historical Background of
Human Rights(Cont.)
Ancient Human Rights
Instrument(US Bill of
Rights)
Ancient Human Rights
US Declaration of
To prepare assignment titled
Instrument(English Bill of
Independence
“Impact of US Declaration of
Rights)
Independence in French
Declaration”
Ancient Human Rights
Instrument(English Bill of
Rights)
Ancient Human Rights
Instrument(Magna Carta)
Ancient Human Rights
Instrument(US Declaration
of Independence& French
Declaration)
National Human Rights
Complaint Procedure
To prepare assignment titled
Commission(Establishment
“National Human Rights
& Composition)
Commission: A mechanism
for the protection & promotion
National Human Rights
of Human Rights at National
Commission(Mandate)
level.
National Human Rights
Commission(Complaint
Procedure)
Preventive Detention &
Human Rights
Preventive Detention &
Preventive Detention & Write a Essay on Violation of
Human Rights(Cont.)
Human Rights
Human Rights Law enforcing
agency
Violation of Human Rights
by State or Law enforcing
agency
Human Rights & Religion
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (History,
Drafting, Structure)
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights
(Importance, How does
international Law protect
Human Rights)
How does
international Law
protect Human
Rights
To prepare assignment titled “
Influence of UDHR at national
level”
2-12-13
3-12-13
4-12-13
6
8-12-13
9-12-13
10-12-13
11-12-13
7
15-12-13
16-12-13
17-12-13
18-12-13
8
29-12-13
30-12-13
31-12-13
01-01-14
9
5-01-14
6-01-14
7-01-14
8-01-14
10
12-01-14
13-01-14
14-01-14
15-01-14
11
19-01-14
20-01-14
21-01-14
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (Art.1-15)
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (Art. 15-30)
Tutorial No. 1
International Covenant on
What are Civil
Civil & Political Rights
Rights?
International Covenant on
Civil & Political
Rights(Cont.)
International Covenant on
Civil & Political
Rights(Cont.)
International Covenant on
Economic Social & Cultural
Rights(Cont.)
International Covenant on
Economic, Social & Cultural
Rights(Cont.)
Holiday( Victory Day)
International Covenant on
Economic Social & Cultural
Rights(Cont.)
Tutorial No. 2
MID TERM EXAM
United Nations Charter &
What do you mean
Human Rights
by Economic &
Social Rights?
United Nations Commission
on Human Rights
Convention Against Torture
Convention Against
Torture(Cont.)
Convention on the
Elimination of All forms of
Discrimination Against
Women
Convention on the
Elimination of All forms of
Discrimination Against
Women(Cont.)
Convention on the
Elimination of All forms of
Discrimination Against
Women (Cont.)
European Court of Human
Rights
Child Convention
Basic Concept of
International Humanitarian
Law(IHL)
Basic Concept of
International Humanitarian
Law(IHL) (Cont.)
Basic Concept of
International Humanitarian
Law(IHL) (Cont.)
International Committee of
Red Cross
International Committee of
Red Cross (Cont.)
First Geneva Convention "for
the Amelioration of the
Condition of the Wounded
and Sick in Armed Forces in
Prepare a list of Political
Rights
Prepare a list of Cultural
Rights
What is Women
Rights?
Status of the women under
Bangladesh Constitution
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
the Field”
12
22-01-14
26-01-14
11-02-14
Tutorial No. 3
First Geneva Convention "for
the Amelioration of the
Condition of the Wounded
and Sick in Armed Forces in
the Field”
Second Geneva Convention
"for the Amelioration of the
Condition of Wounded, Sick
and Shipwrecked Members of
Armed Forces at Sea"
Second Geneva Convention
"for the Amelioration of the
Condition of Wounded, Sick
and Shipwrecked Members of
Armed Forces at Sea"
Third Geneva Convention
"relative to the Treatment of
Prisoners of War"
Third Geneva Convention
"relative to the Treatment of
Prisoners of War"
Fourth Geneva Convention
"relative to the Protection of
Civilian Persons in Time of
War"
Fourth Geneva Convention
"relative to the Protection of
Civilian Persons in Time of
War"
Distinction Between Human
Rights & Humanitarian law
Similarities Between UDHR
& Bangladesh Constitution
Similarities Between UDHR
& Bangladesh Constitution
Review Class
12-02-14
Tutorial No. 4
27-01-14
28-01-14
29-01-14
13
2-02-14
03-02-14
04-02-14
05-02-14
14
09-02-14
10-02-14
N/A
Write a Essay on Non
International Armed Conflict
Distinction Between
Human Rights &
Humanitarian law
N/A
Similarities Between
UDHR &
Bangladesh
Constitution
N/A
FINAL EXAM
Basic text(s):
Reference text(s):
Additional reading material:
Part-1 Human Rights
1. International Human Rights Law by Javaid Rehman
2. A Compilation International Human Rights Instruments- Prof.
Dr. Mir Shamsur Rahman & others,
3. Basic Documents on Human Rights by Ian Brownlie
Part-2 International Humanitarian Law
1. Principles of International Humanitarian Law by Prof. Dr. A B
M Moafizul Islam Patwari
2. Basic Document of International Humanitarian Law by
Christopher Harland
1. Fifty Years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by
Prof. Dr. Borhan Uddin Khan,
2. Handbook of International Humanitarian Law by V S Mani
DLR- Special Powers Act and Journal Faculty of Law, University of
Dhaka.
Assessment / Assignment Methods:
Marks for assessment will be given by the course
teacher through class tests, quizzes, assignments,
presentation, class performance, class attendance etc.
There should be at least (n+1) where ‘n’ is the number
of class tests for a course. The course teacher must
submit a copy of marks of Assessment (mentioning
the fractions in class tests, quizzes etc.) of his course
Quiz Test: Description of components of assessment
(Class test, class participation, midterm, final exams
etc) 100%
Assessment Marks 30 includes: Class test/ Assignment
10+ Class attendance 10 + Class performance & Viva
voce 10.
to the Head of the respective departments.
Grading Systems:
Each course has a letter grade equivalent to a certain
number of grade points. Letter grades and their
corresponding grade points are as follows:
Numerical Grade
Letter
Grade
Grade
Point
80% and above
A+
4.00
75% to less than 80%
A
3.75
70% to less than 75%
A+
3.50
65% to less than 70%
B+
3.25
60% to less than 65%
B
3.00
55% to less than 60%
B-
2.75
50% to less than 55%
C+
2.50
45% to less than 50%
C
2.25
40% to less than 45%
D
2.00
Less than 40%
F
0.00
Exemption
E
--
Incomplete
I
--
Satisfactory
S
--
Total Marks 100 includes : Assessment 30 + Midterm
examination 20+ Final Examination 50
Grading systems to be followed for the course
Students’ responsibilities:
What students should do to extract the most out of the
course?
All students are instructed to attain at least 70% of the
total classes.
The students should attain the classes regularly and
fulfill their work and reading assignments according to
the instructions to extract the most out of the course.
Abdullah Al Noman
Lecturer
Department of Law & Human Rights, UAP