Human Rights

• Human Rights


  Rights that humans have simply because they are part of the human race
• Social Justice


  Ensuring fair and equal treatment for all members of society
• Human Right


  A right that humans have simply because they are part of the human race
• The United Nations issued the Universal Declaration of Human Rights


  1948
• The declaration of Human Rights includes 30 articles all based on the first article which says: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights
• Many countries have formally agreed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and are expected to maintain each of the rights in their country
• When any of the articles (statements) are broken other countries and international agencies step in to try to persuade the country to restore basic human rights
• Although 1948 is now almost 70 years ago, many people around the world don't have the rights identified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Amnesty International


  A worldwide organisation that works to campaign and help protect the basic human rights of men, women and children whose human rights have not been respected
• Amnesty International


  • Uses a range of non-violent methods to raise awareness and protest against human rights abuses
• Non-violent methods used by Amnesty International


  1. Forming protest marches

  2. Writing letters to governments and campaigning for justice

  3. Using the media to raise awareness about people whose rights have been abused

  4. Running schools programmes and events to educate people about human rights and human right abuses
• Social Justice


  Promoting a fair society by challenging injustice and valuing diversity
• Social justice

  Ensuring that everyone has equal and fair access to provisions, equal opportunities and rights
• United Nations: 'Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principle of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.'
• Many people suffer social injustice in many forms
• Human dignity


  The worth and value of people and treating them in a correct way with the respect due to a human being
• Christians believe that God made humans in His Own Divine Image with souls, therefore every single human person has dignity and worth
• Agape love


  Love or 'care and concern given freely and unconditionally to everyone no matter who they are or what they have done
• How we treated others in our lifetime


  Will be the criteria on which we are judged at the Final Judgement
• Christians believe all people no matter of what religion or race are God's children made in God's Divine Image with souls, therefore all people are simply brothers and sisters and children of God and as human siblings' we have a duty of care and obligation to give each person dignity, respect, care and concern
• Personal conviction


  When a person has a strong personal viewpoint about an issue and feels that something is either right or wrong about a matter, often their feelings are so strong that it leads them to take action especially when they consider an injustice is being done
• Christians try to follow the example of Jesus in their daily lives, putting 'agape' or unconditional 'love' (care and concern for others) into practice on a daily basis can be very difficult
• Agape love does not set conditions
• Archbishop Oscar Romero became the Archbishop of El Salvador in 1977, where there was widespread oppression of the people, censorship of the media and public opinion, and anyone who spoke out against the government was either killed or made to 'disappear'
• After being appointed Archbishop, Oscar Romero decided to become 'a voice for the poor' and began to use his position to tell the world about the widespread oppression, for which he was shot dead while celebrating Mass in 1980
• Censorship


  Withholding or not releasing materials such as films, web sites, etc. to the general public or giving the public limited access to it
• Censorship can have a darker side when it prevents the publication or broadcast of things to inappropriate audiences
• Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights - anyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
• Censorship


  A double edged sword
• Censorship is good because it protects people from material that might cause offense, incite hatred or lead to discrimination
• Censorship runs the risk of preventing people from expressing their views and only allowing the government's or authorities' viewpoint to be expressed
• Appropriate balance of censorship


  Material should be censored so it doesn't give offense, but not so much that the public is kept in the dark and people cannot express their views
• Religious extremism

  Going beyond the reasonable or what is generally accepted as the norm
• Reasons people develop extremist religious views

  • Interpreting religious texts in a very fundamental or literal way
  • Believing they are doing God's work
  • Being influenced by family/friends with extremist views
  • Believing extremist actions will be rewarded in the afterlife
• Prejudice


  Judging people before knowing enough about them or having real evidence, a bias against people or things without proper reason
• Reasons for prejudice


  • Ignorance
  • Past experiences
  • Parental/peer pressure
  • Fear
  • Selfishness
• Discrimination

  Treating people differently because of their race, gender, age, religion, nationality or social class, based on bias or prejudice
• Many forms of discrimination are now illegal, but some still exist
• Reasons people treat others differently


  • Prejudice
  • Past experiences
  • Upbringing
  • Selfishness
  • Ignorance
• How we should treat others


  With dignity, respect, and equal rights and opportunities, the way we would want to be treated