3.1.2

PREVIEW

What do you already know about human rights? Make a mind-map.

Human rights give people permission to do or have something, protection from something or someone, or entitlement to do or have something. Human rights can be classified into three categories:

1. Civil and political rights cover people’s rights to political equality in society and to participate and be represented in the political system of the state. Examples of civil and political rights include the right to have a nationality; freedom of movement; participation in elections, including to be a political candidate and to hold political office; freedom of religion and belief, and religious practice; and freedom of speech.
2. Economic, social and cultural rights relate to how people live, work and gain the basic necessities of life. Examples of economic, social and cultural rights include fair pay and working conditions; fair standard of living with access to food, housing, healthcare and education; and the right to express one’s own culture, customs and values.
3. Solidarity rights allow groups of people to live in a safe, peaceful and healthy environment. They also protect communities’ rights to economic, social, and cultural development. Examples of solidarity rights include the right to good environmental conditions; the right to develop freely without interference from other actors; and sovereignty over communities’ lands and other natural resources.

The first two categories of rights relate to the rights of individuals. Solidarity rights relate to rights of groups.

Human rights are based on certain principles, which are:

• Universal and inalienable: All people everywhere in the world are entitled to human rights and these rights cannot be lost or taken away.
• Indivisible and interdependent: Human rights cannot be separated. They depend on each other. If one right is denied, people are unable to fully enjoy their other rights. However, rights also need to be balanced against each other. Sometimes the enjoyment of one right requires some restrictions on another right.
• Equality and non-discrimination: All people are born equal and are equally deserving of protection, and no-one should be discriminated against.

In certain situations, some human rights can be restricted by states. This can be allowed if it is important to protect something else, for example, peace and stability. However, there are some human rights that are absolute and can never be restricted, not even if a state of emergency is declared in a state. This is because they are considered too important to ever be restricted. Some absolute rights include the rights to life, freedom from torture and freedom from slavery.

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION

The principles of human rights are like a house of cards. If you remove one, the entire house will collapse.

1. Explain this statement.
2. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?