Types of Human Rights of a Citizen – JSS1 Civic Education Lesson Note (Second Term)

Human rights of a Nigerian citizen are classified into three basic categories: civic (individual) rights, economic rights and political rights. Civic rights help citizens live decent, comfortable lives. Economic rights concern a citizen’s right to a profitable means of livelihood. Political rights concern fairness in law.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• name the three basic categories of human rights of a Nigerian citizen;
• explain civic rights and list five examples;
• explain economic rights and list five examples;
• list the rights of the accused given in this note under political rights.

What are the types of human rights?

The rights of Nigerian citizens are classified into three basic categories, namely:

1. Civic (individual) rights
2. Economic rights
3. Political rights

What are civic rights?

These are the human rights that every person enjoys as a resident of the country. They are created and protected by the state for its citizens. These rights enable the citizens to live decent, comfortable lives and enhance their relationships as citizens of the community.

Civic rights include:

1. Right to life
2. Right to liberty
3. Right to privacy and family life
4. Right to the dignity of human person
5. Right to fair hearing and judgment

What are economic rights?

These are the rights of citizens to be engaged in a profitable means of livelihood. Economic rights include:

1. Right to an adequate standard of living
2. Right to free choice of employment without discrimination
3. Right to protection against unemployment
4. Right to join and form trade unions
5. Right to free elementary education and health care

What are political rights?

These rights specify the natural justice of fairness in law. They include the rights of the accused, which are:

• Right to fair trial
• Right to due process
• Right to seek redress or legal remedy

Evaluation

1. Name the three basic categories of human rights of a Nigerian citizen.
2. What are civic rights?
3. List five civic rights.
4. What are economic rights?
5. List five economic rights.

Assignment

List the rights of the accused given in this note and state the category of human rights they belong to in the note.