1. Human rights exploration
Week 1
Human rights exploration
What are rights?
Being Right and Having a Right
"Right" in English, like equivalent words in several other languages, has a moral and political senses: rectitude and entitlement.
In the sense of rectitude, we speak of "the right thing to do, of something being right (or wrong)”.
In the narrower sense of entitlement, we typically speak of someone having a right.

2. Rectitude and entitlement both link right and obligation, but in systematically different ways.
Claims of rectitude (righteousness) –"That's wrong," That's not right," "You really ought to do that" - focus on a standard of conduct and draw attention to the duty –bearer's obligation under that standard. .

3. Rights creates a field of rule-governed interactions centred on, and under the control of the right-holder .
"A has a right to X (with respect to B)" specifies a right-holder (A), an object of the right (X), and a duty-bearer (B).
It also outlines the relationships in which they stand.
A is entitled to X (with respect to B). B stands under correlative obligations to A (with respect to X). A may make special claims upon B to discharge those obligations.

4. The 'right‘ of A is a moral principle that defining and sanctioning a man's freedom of action in a social field.
"The word of individual rights is so new in human history that most men have not grasped it fully to this day.

5. WHAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS?
If you were to ask people in the street, “What are human rights?” you would get many different answers.
They would tell you the rights they know about. But very few people know all their rights.
A right is a freedom of some kind. It is something to
which you are entitled.
There are different kinds of rights. If a person belongs
to a particular group, he has certain rights as a member of that group.
If he is an American, he has the right to vote in an American election, but he does not have the right to vote in an election in France.

6. The rights that someone has, simply because he / she is a human being , human rights are the rights and freedoms that we all have as humans.
Everybody has human rights. It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what language you speak or what religion you belong to.
You have a duty to respect the rights of others, just as they have a duty to respect yours. Nobody can take your rights away. (There is some exceptions.. Prison, execution)

7. Definition of Human rights:
“ Those basic standards that people can not,
without it , to live with dignity as human beings.
Human rights are the foundation of freedom,
justice and peace, often held to include the right to
life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression,
and equality before the law.”
Adding to that the respect for human rights that
allows the individual and the community to fully
develop.

8. Rights are conditions of existence required by man's nature for his proper survival.
If man is to live on earth, it is right for him to use his mind, it is right to act on his own free judgment, it is right to work for his values and to keep the product of his work.
If life on earth is his purpose, he has a right to live as a rational being.

9. These rights are universal and are guaranteed to all, irrespective of their race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.
While the term “human rights” is relatively modern, the principle on which it is based is as old as humanity and in most religions and philosophies.
Respect for human dignity, which is at the heart of human rights, is a value common to the world’s cultures and religions. Initially, claims to human rights were considered to be only moral.

10. Human rights are based on the values of:
• Dignity • Justice • Equality
Dignity: The right to life, the right to integrity, the prohibition of enforced labour, slavery or degrading punishment.
Justice: The right to a fair trial, proportional punishment to crime, the right not to be trialled more than once for the same crime
Equality: Equality before the law. No discrimination on race, religion, gender, age, ability/disability etc.

11. • Some human rights are based on our physical needs
• Some human rights are based on our physical needs. The right to life, to food, to shelter.
• Other human rights protect us. The right to be free from torture and abuse.
• Human rights are also to ensure we develop to our
fullest potential. The right to education, to work, to participate in your community.
However, as history progressed, human rights were formally recognized and came to be protected by international law, national constitutions, and domestic laws. That is why we say they are legal entitlements. it states what governments should do, and not to do, to respect the rights of its citizens.

12. Protecting and promoting human rights is about making sure that basic safeguards for equality and justice are in place so that we can prevent the violation of rights, when a violation does occur.
Recently, people have started thinking about emerging human rights principles, these human rights principles includes things like the right to a healthy environment. These rights remain unofficial and their status is yet to be settled at international law.

13. Human rights are also about more day-to-day matters.
For example, a society that protects and promotes human rights makes it unlawful to discriminate against you because of your race, disability, age or sex when you are applying for a job, ensures your rights at work are protected, and ensures that your right to vote and practice your religion are protected.

14. Civil and political rights
Which protect the individual from the misuse of political power and recognise every individual’s right to participate in their country’s political process. They include rights such as the right to be free from discrimination and the right to equality before the law.
Economic, social and cultural rights
Which protect an individual’s right to access economic, social and cultural aspects of their country. They include rights such as the right to education and the right to adequate health services.

15. Why are human rights important ?
Human rights are about equality and fairness for everyone, a society that commits to human rights, commits to ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
The protection of human rights is everyone’s responsibility, a shared understanding and respect for human rights provides the foundation for peace, harmony, security and freedom in our community.

16. - Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (i.e.,
Common Myths about Human Rights
- Human Rights = civil rights.
- Human Rights violations occur only in poor
countries.
- Human Rights are only concerned with violations.
- Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (i.e.,
healthcare, housing) are privileges.
- Only adults and lawyers can understand the
meanings of Human Rights.