What are HUMAN RIGHTS?

Human rights are the basic rights and freedom that belong to every person in the world,
from birth until death.
They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe or how you choose to
live your life.
They can never be taken away, although they can sometimes be restricted – for
example, if a person breaks the law, or in the interests of national security.
These basic rights are based on shared values like dignity, fairness, equality, respect
and independence.
These values are defined and protected by law.
DECS ORDER NO. 61, S 1987
"Inclusion of the Study of Human Rights and Accompanying Responsibilities in the
School Curricula at All Levels."
The teaching of human rights in Philippine schools is mandated by Article II of the 1987
Philippine Constitution which states that all educational institutions shall inculcate
patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity and respect for human rights.
This was further reinforced by the issuance of Executive Order No. 27, s. 1987 entitled
"Education to Maximize Respect for Human Rights" following the peaceful EDSA
Revolution in 1986.
At present, the teaching of human rights follows the integration process. Though in
some tertiary schools, human rights is taught as a separate subject, in the elementary
and secondary levels human rights concepts and values are integrated in Social Studies
and Values Education where most of the competencies relevant to human rights are
found.
The concept of “human rights” in the context of the Philippines, pertains mainly
(but is not limited) to the following:
1. to the civil and political rights of a person
2. living in the Philippines by reason of the 1987 Philippines Constitution
Human Rights allow a person to live with dignity and in peace, away from the
abuses that can be inflicted by abusive institutions or individuals.
To further promote the importance of human rights in the Philippines, December
4 to 10 of every year is marked as “National Human Rights Consciousness Week”
via Republic Act No. 9201.
Commission on Human Rights
is an independent office created by the Constitution of the Philippines, with the primary
function of investigating all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political
rights in the Philippines.
is composed of a Chairperson and four members. The Constitution requires that a
majority of the Commission’s members must be lawyers.
originated from the Presidential Committee on Human Rights established in 1986 by
President Corazon Aquino, which was chaired by former Senator Jose Diokno and
former Supreme Court Associate Justice J.B.L Reyes. A separate Commission on
human rights was established upon the promulgation of the 1987 Constitution.
CONCISE HISTORY OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Cyrus the Great
the first king of Persia, freed the slaves of Babylon, 539 B.C.
Known today as the Cyrus Cylinder, this ancient record has now been
recognized as the world’s first charter human rights.
The Magna Carta (1215)
Magna Carta, or “Great Charter” signed by the King of England in 1215, was a turning
point in human rights.
It was arguably the most significant early influence on the extensive historical process
that led to the rule of constitutional law today in the English-speaking world.
Petition of Right (1628)
The next recorded milestone in the development of human rights was the Petition of
Right, produced in 1628 by the English Parliament and sent to Charles I as a statement
of civil liberties.
United States Declaration of Independence (1776)
On July 4, 1776, the United States Congress approved the Declaration of
Independence. It’s primary author, Thomas Jefferson, wrote the declaration as a formal
explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare independence from Great
Britain, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and as
a statement announcing that the thirteen American Colonies were no longer a part of
the British Empire.
The Constitution of the United States of America (1787) and Bill of Rights (1791)
Written during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, the Constitution of the United
States of America is the fundamental law of the US federal system of government and
the landmark document of the Western world. It is the oldest written national constitution
in use and defines the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions and the
basic rights of citizens.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789)
In 1789, the people of France brought about the abolishment of the absolute
monarchy and set the stage for the establishment of the first French Republic. Just six
weeks after the storming of the Bastille, and barely three weeks after the abolition of
feudalism, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was adopted by the
National Constituent Assembly as the first step toward writing a constitution for the
Republic of France
The First Geneva Convention (1864)
In 1864, sixteen European countries and several states attended a conference in
Geneva, at the invitation of the Swiss Federal Council, on the initiative of the Geneva
Committee. The diplomatic conference was held for the purpose of adopting a
convention for the treatment of wounded soldiers in combat.
The United Nations (1945)
Fifty nations met in San Francisco in 1945 and formed the United Nations to
protect and promote peace. The goal of the United Nations Conference on International
Organization was to fashion an international body to promote peace and prevent future
wars. The ideals of the organization were stated in the preamble to its proposed
charter: “We, the people of the United Nations are determined to save succeeding
generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold
sorrow to mankind.”
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
On October 24, 1945, in the aftermath of World War II, the United Nations came
into being as an intergovernmental organization, with the purpose of saving future
generations from the devastation of international conflict.
United Nations representatives from all regions of the world formally adopted the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948.
The Member States of the United Nations pledged to work together to promote
the thirty (30) Articles of Human Rights, that, for the first time in history, had been
assembled and codified into a single document. In consequence, many of these rights,
in various forms, are today part of the Constitutional laws of democratic nations.
GENERAL NATURE AND DEFINITION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFINITION
 those rights, which are inherent in people and without which, people cannot live
as true human beings (UN);
 the supreme, inherent and inalienable rights to life, dignity and to self-
development. (CHR)
CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
 Inherent: they are not granted by any person or authority.
 Fundamental: Without human rights, a person’s life and dignity would be
worthless and meaningless.
 Inalienable: As such they cannot be stripped or rightfully taken away from any
free human person.
 Imprescriptible: Human rights are not lost by mere passage of time. Human
rights do not prescribe even if a person fails to use or was prevented from
asserting them.
 Indivisible: Human rights are not capable of being divided.
 Universal. Human rights are endowed every human being from the moment of
birth, w/o distinction or irrespective of origin, sex, race, creed, political color,
status or condition in life.
 Interdependent. The fulfillment, enjoyment or exercise of a particular right
cannot be attained w/o the realization of the other rights.
CLASSIFICATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
 According to Aspect of Life:
1. Civil Rights – guarantee people from abuses of State agents in the exercise of
the State’s 3 inherent powers: police power, eminent domain and power of
taxation.
2. Political Rights – rights which enable us to participate in running the affairs of
the government either directly or indirectly.
3. Economic and Social Rights – rights of people to pursue economic, social and
cultural development and financial security.
4. Cultural Rights – rights that ensure the well-being of the individual and foster
the preservation, enrichment and dynamic evolution of national culture based on
the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual
expression.
  According to Source:

1. Natural Rights – God given rights, acknowledged by everybody to be morally

good.
2. Constitutional Rights – guaranteed in Bill of Rights of the Constitution
3. Statutory Rights – rights promulgated by Legislative bodies.
According to Struggle and Recognition:
1. First Generation Rights – Civil & Political Rights; aka “Blue Rights”
2. Second Generation Rights – Economic, Social & Cultural Rights; aka “Red
Rights”
3. Third Generation Rights – Right to Development; aka “Green Rights”
PPT #3
Human Rights Education
- Is the training, dissemination and information efforts aimed at building of a
universal culture of human rights through the imparting of knowledge and skills
and the molding of attitudes which are directed to:

1. The strengthening of respect for Human Rights and fundamental freedoms.

2. The full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity;
3. The promotion of understanding, respect, gender equality and friendship among
all nations, indigenous people and racial, national ethnic, religious and linguistic
groups.
4. The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free society.
5. The furtherance of the activities of the united nations for the maintenance of
peace.
Main goals for Human Rights Education
1. Knowledge and Skills – Learning about Human Rights and mechanisms for
their protection, as well as acquiring skills to apply them in daily life.
2. Values, Attitude and Behavior – Developing values and reinforcing attitudes
and behavior which uphold human rights.
3. Action – Taking action to defend and promote human rights.
Main Elements of Human Rights Education
1. The acquisition of knowledge and skills about Human Rights.
2. The development of respectful values and attitude and changed behavior that
reflects Human Rights Values; and
3. The motivation social action and empowerment of active citizenship to advance
respect for the rights of all.
 Who needs Human Rights Education?

A. Administrative of justice
- Law Enforcement personnel including police and security forces, prison officials.
- Lawyers, Judges and prosecutors.
- Other government and legislative officials
- Member of the legislature
- Public officials
- Elected and appointed members of the military

B. Other professionals
- Educators
- Social Workers
- Health Professionals
- Journalist and media representatives.

C. Organizations, Associations and Groups

- Women’s Organization
- Community activist and civic leaders
- Minority groups
- Members of the business community
- Trade unionist
- Indigenous people
- Religious leaders and other with a special interest and social justice issues
- Children and youth
- Students at all levels of education
- Refugees and displaced persons
- People of all sexual orientation
- Poor people, whether in cities or rural areas
- People with disabilities
- Migrant workers