Human Rights I & II – SS3 Civic Education Lesson Note (First Term)

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion or any other status.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define human rights.
2. State the importance of human rights.
3. Describe the characteristics of human rights.
4. Classify human rights into their categories and give examples of each.
5. Explain the limitations to human rights.
6. Describe what happens during a state of emergency.

What is the meaning of human rights?

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which every human being is entitled, as protected by the constitution of a country.

• Who has them: every person, irrespective of colour, language, race, age, sex or geographical location.
• Where they are written: in Nigeria, they are set out in Chapter IV (Fundamental Rights) of the 1999 Constitution.
• Who protects them: the government, the courts and bodies such as the National Human Rights Commission.
• What to do if they are breached: a citizen can go to court to seek redress.

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the United Nations document that first set out the fundamental human rights to be universally protected.

• Drafters: representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world.
• Adoption: the UN General Assembly adopted it in Paris on 10 December 1948, at its 183rd plenary meeting.
• Importance: it is a milestone in the history of human rights and a standard for national laws.

Why are human rights important?

Human rights protect human dignity and give every person a fair chance to live freely and safely.

1. Basic needs: they help to ensure that people have their basic needs met.
2. Protection of the vulnerable: they protect weak groups, such as children and the poor, from abuse.
3. Fight against corruption: they allow people to stand up to corruption in society.
4. Free speech: they encourage freedom of speech and expression.
5. Religion: they give people the freedom to practise their religion, or none.
6. Equal work opportunities: they encourage fair chances in employment.
7. Education: they give people access to education.
8. Environment: they support the protection of the environment in which people live.
9. Accountability: they provide a universal standard that holds governments accountable.

What are the characteristics of human rights?

There are five main characteristics of human rights: inalienability, universality, indisputability, indivisibility and entrenchment.

1. Inalienability: human rights cannot be taken away from citizens. They should be enjoyed by all.
2. Universality: human rights are the same in all countries, whatever a person’s ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, sex or political division.
3. Indisputability: human rights cannot be challenged or denied to anyone, since they are entrenched.
4. Indivisibility: rights such as human dignity, decent living and freedoms should be enjoyed by all citizens in full.
5. Entrenchment: human rights are written into the constitution, which strengthens and safeguards them.

What are the categories of human rights?

There are five categories of human rights: political, economic, civic, social and cultural.

1. Political rights

Political rights allow citizens to take part in the government of their country.

• Voting: right to vote and be voted for.
• Assembly: right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
• Fair hearing: right to a fair and equal hearing.
• Public office: right to hold public office.

2. Economic rights

Economic rights protect a person’s work, income and property.

• Property: right to own property.
• Fair pay: right to work and receive commensurate compensation.
• Freedom from slavery: right to freedom from slavery and forced labour.
• Work conditions: right to just and favourable conditions of work.

3. Civic rights

Civic rights protect the personal freedom, safety and dignity of the individual.

• Movement: right to freedom of movement.
• Private life: right to private and family life.
• Expression: right to freedom of expression and the press.
• Dignity: right to the dignity of the human person.
• Freedom from torture: right to freedom from torture, inhuman or degrading punishment.
• Education: right to education.
• Freedom from unlawful imprisonment: right not to be imprisoned unlawfully.
• Thought and religion: right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
• Personal liberty: right to freedom from deprivation of personal liberty.
• Life: right to life.

4. Social rights

Social rights protect family life and the general wellbeing of people in society.

• Family life: right to private and family life.
• Expression: right to freedom of expression.
• Health: right to health care.
• Shelter: right to shelter.
• Conscience: freedom of conscience.
• Association: freedom of association.

5. Cultural rights

Cultural rights allow individuals to preserve their customs and traditions and to practise their unique way of life.

What are the limitations to human rights?

Limitations to human rights are the situations in which the law allows a citizen’s rights to be restricted.

1. Being detained by law: a citizen’s rights can be limited if he or she commits an offence for which the law allows detention.
2. Laws of slander, libel and sedition: rights may be limited if a person is found guilty of slander, libel or sedition.
3. Wars: war can restrict freedom of movement, personal liberty and the dignity of the human person.
4. Ban on a politician: the right to vote and be voted for may be limited if a politician is banned because of a record of criminal or violent offences.
5. Curfew: a curfew imposed by the government restricts the right of movement. Armed groups may also enforce illegal restrictions on movement.
6. State of emergency: some parts of the constitution are suspended to restore peace and order.
7. Death sentence: a person loses the right to life when lawfully condemned to death for crimes such as murder, armed robbery or terrorism.
8. The police: the police may restrict a suspect’s movement and expression during investigations. What the suspect says can be used against him or her in court.
9. Developmental purposes: the government may take over property in an area meant for development, which limits the right to own property.
10. Contagious diseases and unsound mind: a person with a highly contagious disease, such as Ebola or cholera, or a person of unsound mind may be kept in hospital for treatment. This limits movement and association.

What happens during a state of emergency?

A state of emergency is a period in which some parts of the constitution are suspended in an area, or the whole country in war, to restore peace and order.

1. Limitation of movement: a curfew stops people from moving at certain times of the day.
2. Limited freedom of speech: people hold back from speaking freely because of security tension and fear of arrest.
3. Change in leadership: elected leaders may be removed or suspended, and the electoral process is put on hold. A sole administrator is appointed to oversee the area.
4. Suspension of parts of the constitution: some constitutional provisions are suspended, so rights are not fully respected.
5. Slow economic activity: some companies and markets cannot open because of insecurity.

Evaluation

1. Define human rights.
2. State four characteristics of human rights.
3. List three examples each of political rights and economic rights.
4. Explain five limitations to human rights.
5. State four things that happen during a state of emergency.

Assignment

Explain how a curfew and a state of emergency can limit the rights of a citizen. Use examples from the lesson.