Human and moral rights

• Human and moral rights ensure that all citizens are treated with fairness, tolerance, and respect.
• Human Rights:

  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR):
  • Developed by the United Nations in 1948 in response to WWII and Nazi policies.
  • It promotes individual freedoms and protections.
  • Includes rights such as:
  • Life, liberty, and security
  • Freedom from slavery and torture
  • Equal protection under the law and privacy
  • Education, freedom of speech, conscience, and religion
• The Human Rights Act 1998:

  • Incorporated the UDHR into British law.
  • However, some rights are still not fully upheld:
  • Prisoners are denied voting rights in some elections.
  • Homeless people lack the right to adequate housing.
• Moral Rights and Duties:

  • Moral rights are not legal laws but socially accepted behaviours.
  • Moral wrongs to avoid include:
  • Lying
  • Cheating/plagiarism
  • Wasting time at work on non-work activities
  • Using power for personal gain
• Upholding Rights:

  Rights can sometimes come into conflict in real life. Examples include:

  1. Suspected Terrorists:

  • A proposal for 42-day detention for suspected terrorists in 2008 was rejected.

  1. Extremist Groups:

  • National Action, a far-right group, was banned in 2016 for its terrorist activities.

  1. The Investigatory Powers Act 2016:

  • Also known as the “Snooper’s Charter,” it allows the government to access phone and internet data with permission.
• Explain two rights that some feel are denied in the UK.

  • Prisoners sentenced and held in British prisons are denied the right to vote. However, the European Convention on Human Rights states that everyone can vote, even if they are in prison.
  • Some feel that homeless people are denied the right to a basic standard of living. This is a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.