Suggested Level: Middle secondary primary
Learning Outcome: This lesson introduces children to the idea of universal human rights and challenges them to consider why implementing them is difficult.
Materials and resources: poster paper and pens, PowerPoint
Video: What are the universal human rights? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDgIVseTkuE
Suggested Activities:
- Watch the video ‘What are the universal human rights?’
Discussion questions:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights insists that all rights are equally important, indivisible and interdependent. What does that mean? Do you agree?
- Why is it so hard to protect human rights or enforce them?
- Would it benefit Australian citizens to have access to a human rights court similar to the European Court of Human Rights? How might it affect your life or the lives of people you know?
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights lists 30 separate rights. This video suggested 2 more – are there other that you think should be included?
- Research projects
Human Rights Instruments
Since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed in 1948, the general principles it contains have helped to create a new body of law: international human rights law. Among the key documents that expand on the UDHR are the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which, together with the UDHR, form the so-called “International Bill of rights.”
Take a look at the core human rights instruments and at the UN bodies set up to protect human rights and monitor their implementation around the world. Which of these has Australia signed up to support? What effect does support these instruments have on the lives of Australian citizens?
Human Rights Defenders
Protecting and defending human rights is not just a job for the international legal system or for individual countries. Non-government organisations play a key role in monitoring, investigating and defending human rights across the globe. Today, there are many human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International that work to promote human rights and take action when they are threatened. There are many other groups such as Girls Not Brides that focus on a particular human right. Investigate one human rights organisation and report back to your class using an annotated visual display or PowerPoint.