HUMAN RIGHTS
What are Human Rights?
Human rights recognise the fact that all people
throughout the world should be treated fairly.
Regardless of their race, age, gender or
religion people should be able to live with
respect and dignity. They should have the
freedom to make choices about their own lives
but at the same time they have the responsibility
to respect the rights of others. Affirming the
worth of all people and promoting equality
provides the foundation for peace and security.
The modern human rights movement has its
origin in the League of Nations, which was
established in 1919 after the atrocities of the
First World War.
After the Second World War the United
Nations (UN) was established to replace
the League of Nations and to promote
world peace in the hope that the horrors
of that war would never be repeated.
Their first aim was to develop friendly
relations between countries, based on
respect for the principle of equal rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights was adopted by the UN on 10
December 1948. It sets out 30 articles
that declare what every
individuals rights
should be.
Human Rights
SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Article 1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one
another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status.
Article 3 Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 19 Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this
right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek,
receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless
of frontiers.
Article 24 Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable
limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25 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, medical care and necessary social services ...
Article 26 Everyone has the right to education.
Education shall be free, at least in the elementary
and fundamental stages.
More here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTlrSYbCbHE
Types of Human Rights
Human rights are divided into two main types:
• Social, economic and cultural rights, which are concerned with the quality of life and
having a decent standard of living
• Civil and political rights, which cover the right to choose how one’s country is run and to
choose how one’s country is run and to conduct one’s life free from interference.
Civil and Political Rights
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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The right to choose how a country is run
No wrongful arrest
The right to a fair trial
The right to own property
The right to work
The right to freedom of thought and religion
The right to leave and return to your country
The right to freedom of opinion and
expression
The right to hold meetings
The right to join groups
The right to life
Freedom from slavery
Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
•
•
The right to have enough food, clothing,
medical care, welfare or social security,
education and housing
The right to enjoy the culture of one’s people.
Discussion Point……….
Break into
pairs or table
groups and
consider the
following.
Come up with
answers for
this and write
them in your
notebook.
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
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How much freedom should we be given?
Should others be able to make choices
for you, or should you be given the
freedom to make your own choices?
Should everyone have the same rights?
Activity
In a small group create a collage
of media headlines and images
relevant to human rights. Present
these in a digital format.
Abuse of Human Rights: Australia and the Global
Community
Amnesty International
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Amnesty International, a worldwide movement of 2.2 million people in 151
countries, publishes a report each year on human rights abuses around the
world. The 2008 report noted torture occurred in 81 countries and unfair trials
were held in 54 countries. These abuses occurred despite the Declaration of
Human Rights Article 5, stating ‘torture is forbidden at all times’, and Article
10 stating ‘everyone has the right to a fair trial’. Instead of being tortured or
killed, people are taken hostage or simply ‘disappear’. About 30 years ago,
30 000 people disappeared in Argentina. In 2008, hundreds of Tamils
disappeared in Sri Lanka as did thousands of Falun Gong followers in China.
Human rights organisations focus on countries like Myanmar and Zimbabwe,
but less well known abuses occur in El Salvador and Saudi Arabia.
WATCH THIS FILM CLIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-WnlOCvXw
Amnesty International works to reduce human rights abuses by placing pressure on governments, political
groups and companies via demonstrations, letter-writing campaigns, awareness-raising concerts and email
petitions. It supports human rights groups such as the Buddhist monks in Myanmar, lawyers in Pakistan and
women activists in Iran. Amnesty International challenges China to allow free speech and Australia to close
immigration detention centres and reduce the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Another Amnesty International campaign demanded the closure of the US detention centre at Guantanamo
Bay, where people were illegally detained, tortured and denied the right to a fair trial.
Human Rights Case Studies
1. Iran
Challenge: Amnesty International says Iran is second only to China in the number of
executions recorded annually, including those of children. After elections in June
2009, the right of free expression by dissenters was brutally squashed.
Demonstrators were arrested and killed. The regime attempted to shut down
communications but many examples of abuse were transmitted via the internet all
around the world.
Strategy: The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, based in the US, is
documenting the abuses. Its goal is to encourage informed dialogue among
scholars and the general public both in Iran and abroad.
2. Zimbabwe
Challenge: Human rights defenders and political dissidents were
attacked, tortured and thrown into prison without a fair trial. ZANU-PF
members set up torture camps for people suspected of voting against
President Mugabe in the 2008 election.
Strategy: Amnesty International calls on governments to use their
influence to bring an end to the violations. The UN imposed sanctions on
anti-human rights activists by freezing their assets.
Human Rights Case Studies
3. Tibet
Challenge: In 1951, the Chinese government occupied Tibet. In 1959
after a failed uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India. In 1991 he
alleged that Chinese settlers in Tibet were creating Chinese apartheid,
which the Chinese call segregation and assimilation. He believes the
Chinese government denies Tibetans equal social and economic status
and their human rights are violated by discrimination.
Strategy: Pressure on China from individuals, groups and governments.
For example global protests during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
4. China
Challenge: Human rights issues include the Tiananmen Square
protests of 1989, capital punishment, one-child policy, policies in
Tibet and Sudan, and restrictions on Chinese journalists and
internet users.
Strategy: As the 2008 Olympic flame travelled around the
world, strategy included global protests (sometimes violent) and
media coverage over China's human rights abuses.
Global Overview of Human Rights Abuses
Global Overview of Human Rights Abuses
Forms of human rights
abuse:
ACTIVITIES
a) torture or ill-treatment by
security forces, police and
other authorities
b) detention without charge or
trial people sentenced to
death
c) human rights violations such
as killing of civilians, torture
and hostage-taking by armed
opposition groups.
d) people sentenced to death
Study the map on the previous
page.
• How many human rights abuses
has Australia been reported as
having?
• Looking at the list to the left,
which of these abuses to you
think Australia would be
reported on?
• Did it surprise you that Australia
had been reported for Human
Rights abuse?
Overview of Human Rights in Australia
Human rights are an important part of our lives; yet in Australia, we
often take them for granted. Consider how often you eat good food,
drink clean water, and speak or write what you think. All these
everyday activities depend on the protection of our human rights.
The rights of individuals in Australia are promoted and protected by
instruments including the Australian Constitution, an independent
judiciary, democratically elected governments, a free and
questioning media, a strong civil society, non-government
organisations such as Amnesty International, and common and statute
laws. The laws protecting our rights include the Racial Discrimination
Act 1975, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act 1986, the
Workplace Relations Act 1996, the Public Service Act 1999 and the
Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1987.
Overview of Human Rights in Australia
WHERE HAVE WE GONE WRONG?
Australia has a good — but not perfect — human
rights record; the mandatory detention of asylum
seekers and their children, and the 17-year life
expectancy gap between Indigenous and nonIndigenous Australians are two examples of areas we
can improve. An outcome of Australia's 2020 Summit
was a push to improve the rights of Indigenous and
disabled people, and to establish a federal charter
of rights to incorporate international agreements into
Australian law. The case for a charter has accelerated
with the creation of charters of rights in the Australian
Capital Territory and Victoria. Some argue that a
charter of rights does not guarantee against human
rights abuses. For example, the USSR's 1977 Bill of
Rights guaranteed freedom of expression and
worship and the preservation of the cultures of ethnic
minorities. All these rights were later abused.
Targeted Human Rights Strategies for the
Future of Australia – SOURCE: Epoch Times.
Active Citizenship
Every person has rights — but with them come
responsibilities.
Governments have a responsibility to ratify the signed human rights agreements and
implement basic rights within the country, such as access to clean water.
Non-government organisations have a responsibility to ensure governments abide by
their agreements, and to conduct public awareness campaigns to inform citizens of
human rights abuses.
Individuals have a responsibility to express factual, current and unbiased opinions.
Informed, responsible active citizens can express their views in the media or by
contacting politicians by phone, email or letter.
Children's physical and intellectual immaturity makes them particularly vulnerable to
human rights violations. It is the responsibility of adults, groups and governments to
implement strategies for a better future for children.