1. What are human rights ?

2. What are human rights ? Discussion
Q: After all of the steps and progress that has been made in history, why do we still have to fight for Human Rights?
Q: What are the most important Human Rights to you?
Q: Canada has signed and ratified (enforced) these rights for their citizens, how would your life be different if you lived in a place where they were not? What would you do?

3. What are human rights?
1. The rights (freedoms) to which EVERY human is entitled
Being treated with dignity and respect
Based on morality – what we believe to be right or wrong
2. Human rights are universal, but not a law in all countries
Concern for protection of human rights established in 20th century
Why?
Holocaust, Exploitation, Rwanda, Apartheid, Child Labour

4. United Nations
International organization that promotes peace and social well-being
Created after the 2nd World War
Made up of 193 member states (countries)
Developed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (1948)

5. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights (See page 295 and 296 in your textbook for the list)
Canadian Governments have signed and ratified (approved) the declaration – it is now binding on Canada in international law.
NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organizations) play an important role in promoting the acceptance of the UN Declaration.
Limited power (draw attention to abuses).

6. Discussion
- Do you think this is a useful declaration?
- Is there anything that you would add? Remove?
- Could we ever make the declaration binding?

7. Write your own definition of “human rights”
The Era of Human Rights
Read pp. 324 – 329 in the new textbook (handout) and answer the following questions in complete sentences:
Write your own definition of “human rights”
Name some of the goals of the United Nations.
Provide two reasons why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an important document.
Which of the rights contained within the UDHR do you think are most important? Rank your top three, considering what you think is most important internationally.
Look at the timeline on pp How many of these Human Rights abuses have you heard about ? Which do you find the most disturbing? Are you surprised by the number of incidents around the world? Why do you think we hear more about some atrocities and not others?
What are the problems of enforcing the Declaration?
To what extent do you think universal human rights can exist in a culturally diverse world ? (p. 327)