Understanding human rights - rightsED
Explore the fundamental principles of human rights and why they matter to everyone. Learn how universal rights apply across cultures and borders.
Summary
Resource: Understanding human rights
Human rights are basic to humanity. They apply to all people everywhere. An understanding of human rights is an important part of our individual status as human beings and of our collective status as members of the global community of humankind.
To understand how human rights affect us in our daily lives and to acknowledge our responsibilities in recognising the need to balance those rights with the rights of others, we require an understanding of what human rights are.
Resource: Understanding human rights
Human rights are basic to humanity. They apply to all people everywhere. An understanding of human rights is an important part of our individual status as human beings and of our collective status as members of the global community of humankind.
To understand how human rights affect us in our daily lives and to acknowledge our responsibilities in recognising the need to balance those rights with the rights of others, we require an understanding of what human rights are.
So what are human rights? Where did they come from? How do they impact on humanity? How do they affect me?
Understanding human rights includes activities that are designed to help students clarify human rights concepts and provide an opportunity to explore the effect of human rights in their own lives.
Learner groups
Subjects: Civics and Citizenship, History, Geography, Legal Studies, International Studies Level: Year 9 and up (14 years and up) Time: 1–4 lessons
The resource provides students with:
- basic information about the concepts encompassed by the term ‘human rights'
- an historical context for the development of human rights laws and the establishment of the United Nations
- the processes involved in the drafting and publication of international documents and treaties that support human rights
- an overview of how human rights are incorporated at a national level in Australia
- an understanding of how human rights are relevant in everyday life.
Learning outcomes
In this topic students will:
- develop an understanding of what human rights are
- understand the origins of modern human rights
- appreciate the meaning and significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights instruments
- appreciate the relationship between rights and responsibilities
- understand the forms human rights can take, legally and morally
- understand how human rights instruments are applied in Australian law and society
- analyse the relationship of human rights to daily life
- apply the concepts of human rights to their own lives.
