FREEDOM & RIGHTS

 Learning intention: To define rights and freedoms and gain an understanding of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights WHAT ARE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS? THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

 How did the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights come about?  Why was it important? INQUIRY QUESTIONS ABOUT RIGHTS & FREEDOMS

 What were the key features and achievements of the US Civil Rights movement?  Did these influence the struggles of the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders? INQUIRY QUESTIONS

 What have been the main aims, methods and events in the struggle for rights and freedoms by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders? INQUIRY QUESTIONS

 Who have been significant individuals and groups in the struggle for the rights and freedoms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders? INQUIRY QUESTIONS

 What do you know about the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights?  What rights and freedoms have Indigenous Australians fought for since 1945:?  How have the struggles of Indigenous Australians been similar to, and different from, other fights for civil rights around the world? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

FREEDOM Freedom is a word we all know but can take for granted. What is freedom?

FREEDOM IS... (OR IS NOT?) Having your own taste in music?

FREEDOM IS... (OR IS NOT?) Being told you can’t choose your own religion?

FREEDOM IS... (OR IS NOT?) Choosing a career that interests you?

FREEDOM IS... (OR IS NOT?) Saying what you think?

FREEDOM IS... (OR IS NOT?) Being refused an education?

FREEDOM IS... (OR IS NOT?) Choosing your own relationship?

FREEDOM IS... (OR IS NOT?) Having your house taken away?

HUMAN RIGHTS  The freedoms that you enjoy are all human rights!  Human rights are the basic freedoms and rights that belong to every human being!

SO WHY DO WE NEED HUMAN RIGHTS?

PROTECTING PEOPLE  During the holocaust about six million European Jews were killed - about two-thirds of the population of European Jews.  Millions more were murdered included Romani gypsies, homosexuals, people with disabilities and other political and religious opponents.  Total number of Holocaust victims is between 11 million and 17 million people.  Human rights help to make sure the Government does not misuse their power and harm their citizens.

 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights TRUE OR FALSE?

 We are all born free and equal in dignity and rights TRUE

 After the atrocities of WW2, the United Nations General Assembly created an international treaty called  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

 Many people take their rights and freedoms for granted.  Others are denied these rights.  Some have to fight for them.  Groups have struggled to win civil rights.  In Australia, people have had to fight for their rights and for social justice too.

 When the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed in 1948 that ‘all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’, it signalled its support for the rights and freedoms of oppressed groups throughout the world. UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

 Two such groups that already had long histories of struggle were African Americans and Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. At the same time as the US Civil Rights movement was gathering force AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA

 in the 1950s and 1960s, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples renewed their efforts to overcome generations of dispossession and inequality.

 Although much has been achieved, the struggles for rights and freedoms by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have continued into the twenty-first century.

 With the creation of the United Nations after WW2, the international community vowed the world would never again suffer the atrocities caused by that conflict.  The United Nations General Assembly convened in 1946 and began drafting an international agreement that would recognise basic human rights and would declare that each of us is ‘born free and equal’.  In Paris the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was formally adopted.

 What are the Charters obligations?  What do you think? DECLARATION OF OF HUMAN RIGHTS

 To preserve peace and eliminate war  To remove the causes of conflict by encouraging economic, social, educational, scientific and cultural progress throughout the world, especially in under-developed countries  To safeguard the rights of all individual human beings, and the rights of peoples and nations DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

 THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION

 Hand out RESOURCE & ACTIVITY SHEET

 There are certain principles that were behind the creation of these 30 rights.  Some of these principles relate to civil and political rights which defend the fundamental right to life, and states that no one can be tortured, enslaved, arbitrarily imprisoned, made to do forced labour, or be restricted from such basic freedoms as movement, expression and association. Such principles are stated in negative terms such as ‘freedom from’ (discrimination, torture etc). CERTAIN PRINCIPLES (HAND OUT)

 Other principles relate to economic, social and cultural rights, which assure people of their rights to basic standards of life.  These rights are founded on a belief that we can enjoy our rights, freedoms and economic justice all at the same time. Economic, social and cultural rights are often stated in positive terms such as ‘right to’ (life, education etc). CERTAIN PRINCIPALS

 The idea that groups of people had certain kinds of rights and freedoms dates back to ancient times.  However, with the coming of the modern age, the idea of universal human rights and freedoms began to evolve. RECAP OF LESSON

 During the late eighteenth century, Enlightenment thinkers argued that, as human beings, all people had the same basic rights to equality and freedom, no matter what their place in society RECAP

 On 10 December 1948, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the General Assembly.  December 10 is celebrated as Human Rights Day around the world.  The declaration is written in more than 360 languages and is used by various UN organisations to help people and countries understand what the international community has determined as the human rights all people are entitled to. RECAP

 Read Page 117 –  Copy the timeline into your book TIMELINE

 Answer Questions  1  2  3  4  5 CHAPTER 3.8 PAGE 104, 105, 106, 107