Unit Two: Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities
Essential Questions:
- What are rights and freedoms?
- What documents outline our rights and freedoms?
- How have rights evolved for different groups of people in Canada?
- What do our rights, freedoms and responsibilities reflect about Canadian values and society?
Part One - International Human Rights
Activity One: Journal Write
Activity One: Journal Write
- What are our rights?
- What are freedoms?
- What are our responsibilities to each other and ourselves?
United Nations Declaration for Human Rights (UNDHR)
We will quickly examine the United Nations Declaration for Human Rights, but will come back to this important rights later on in the course. Journal Write: Define human rights - What do you think this term means and give some examples of human rights? |
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Human Rights - Definition
Human rights are fundamental rights and freedoms to which all people are entitled. The UNDHR was the "first time nations from around the world had signed a formal agreement on specific rights and freedoms for all human beings. More than 60 years after this important document was passed, the Declaration remains a standard that many countries have tried to live up to and put into effect".
Link to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights Document
Human rights are fundamental rights and freedoms to which all people are entitled. The UNDHR was the "first time nations from around the world had signed a formal agreement on specific rights and freedoms for all human beings. More than 60 years after this important document was passed, the Declaration remains a standard that many countries have tried to live up to and put into effect".
Link to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights Document
Activity Two: Human Rights Squares
Group and Class Discussion:
Journal Write - Individual
- 'Interview' your classmates to find an answer for each of the statements in the squares on the Human Rights Squares Handout.
Group and Class Discussion:
- Which were the easiest statements to find answers for? Which were the most difficult? Explain why.
- Which statements had global answers? Canadian answers? Local, community or school answers?
- What articles of the UNDHR do the statements connect to?
- Which statements are related to:
- Civil and Political Rights?
- Social, Economic and Cultural Rights?
Journal Write - Individual
- Select two rights from the UNDHR document that you feel are the most important to achieve equality. Explain your choices.
- Some critics argue that the concept of human rights has become little more than a 'buzzword' with no concrete impact.
- What do you think are the main limitations to achieving human rights today?
- Where, why and how would some world governments disagree with the articles presented in the UNDHR? Think of countries where current or recent governments are not protecting human rights.
- What do you think could and should be done to strengthen international protection of basic rights and freedoms?
Part Two - Rights and Freedoms in Canada
How have rights evolved in Canada?
Activity Three: Canadian Human Rights Timeline
With a partner, do the following for your assigned events:
Group and Class Discussion:
Activity Three: Canadian Human Rights Timeline
With a partner, do the following for your assigned events:
- Find the date of the event
- Decide whether the event showed progress (to improve) for human rights or the event showed regress (to move backwards) for human rights in Canada.
- For each event, explain why you placed it in a certain location on the timeline and whether you believed it demonstrated progress or regress for human rights in Canada. (Consider what human rights are being violated or improved, and what groups are included and which are being left out.)
Group and Class Discussion:
- How have rights evolved for different groups in Canada? Are there groups that still do not 'enjoy' all their rights and freedoms in Canada?
- What do these changes reflect about Canadian values?