INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS

January 20, 2015 at 1:47am

Introduction to Human Rights

Five Levels of the Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological Needs
These include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for water, air, food,
and sleep. Maslow believed that these needs are the most basic and instinctive needs in the
hierarchy because all needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met.
Security Needs
These include needs for safety and security. Security needs are important for survival, but they are
not as demanding as the physiological needs. Examples of security needs include a desire for
steady employment, health insurance, safe neighborhoods, and shelter from the environment.
Social Needs
These include needs for belonging, love, and affection. Maslow considered these needs to be less
basic than physiological and security needs. Relationships such as friendships, romantic
attachments, and families help fulfill this need for companionship and acceptance, as does
involvement in social, community, or religious groups.
Esteem Needs
After the first three needs have been satisfied, esteem needs becomes increasingly important.
These include the need for things that reflect on self-esteem, personal worth, social recognition, and
accomplishment.
Self-actualizing Needs
This is the highest level of Maslows hierarchy of needs. Self-actualizing people are self-aware,
concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested fulfilling
their potential.

When the war ended in 1945, the victorious nations decide how to prevent such from
happening again.

Formation of the United Nations to advance Human Rights and peace

In 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted

In 1948 only 58 countries belonged to the United nations

Today there are already 192 member nations and many laws exist to protect human rights

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Primary architect of the Universal Declaration of Human Right, Eleonor Roosevelt
Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home so close and so
small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Such are the places where every man,
woman, and child seeks equal justices, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination.
Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning everywhere. Without concerted
citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.

DEFINITION
HUMAN RIGHTS are the rights that all people have by virtue of being human beings.
DEFINITION
Purpose of Human Rights
Every person is entitled to certain rights simply by the fact that they are a HUMAN BEING.
They are rights because they are allowed to be, to do or to have.
These rights are there for your protection against people who might want to harm or hurt you.
They are also there to help us get along with each other and live in peace.
A set of guarantees for humans not only to exist but also to live with the necessary conditions which
befits a rational being.

Inherent entitlement or birthrights which every person should possess and enjoy by virtue of
having been born a human being; HR provide the bases or foundation of a life of dignity.

These are protective devices designed to shield or protect individuals from random violence
and neglect;

These are entitlements or legal claims that individual by virtue of being humans have
against the state

Natural in that every one owns them not because they are subject to any particular system of
law or religious or political administration

Normative standards / guideposts upon which states are to conduct themselves when
relating with their citizens; deal with the relationship between the State and the people

Legal entitlements or claim which everyone by virtue of being human have against the State.

These constitute a contract between the people and the State, giving a social character of
HR

Duties and Obligations

2 major parties involved in the realization and fulfillment of human rights
1. Rights Holders citizens/ordinary individuals
2. Duty Bearers State & everyone which form part of the State

Executive LGUs, various departments & line agencies

Legislature Senate & House Representative

Judiciary courts, jails prisons, law enforcement agencies like the PNP

Military all branches of the AFP

The state has the primary obligation to RESPECT, PROMOTE , ENSURE/ FULFILL and PROTECT
HUMAN RIGHT so People can ENJOY these entitlements.
Principles of Human Rights

1. Human rights are inherent

They are innate, natural, inborn in every person

They are not granted by any authority

2. Human Rights are Universal
They equally belong to everyone human being every where
regardless of sex, race, religion, Class, Social origin
3. Human Rights are Inalienable

They cannot be transferred,

They can not be separated

They can not be taken away,

They can not be surrendered, regardless of who or what person does.

4. Human right are Indivisible All human rights civil, political, economic, social and cultural are
co-equal and all-important. They can not be divided. They are entitlements to the totality of a person
as human being, and thus cannot be divided.

5. Human rights are Interrelated and Interdependent

HR is mutually dependent and exist in reciprocal relationship. The enjoyment or fulfillment of one
right is often dependent of the other right. When one right is violated, then the other right is violated
as well.
6. Human rights are imprescriptible
They do not have time limit, and have no expiration
7. Human-Responsibility matches Accountability
For every rights there is a corresponding responsibility on the part of every and obligation on the part
of the state
Five categories of Human Rights

Civil the right to be treated as an equal to anyone else in society

Political the right to vote, to freedom of speech and to obtain information

Economic the right to participate in an economy that benefits all; and to desirable work

Social the right to education, health care, food, clothing, shelter and social security

Cultural the right to freedom of religion, and to speak the language, and to practice the
culture of ones choice

SOME CIVIL RIGHTS

Life

Belief in own religion

Opinion

Free speech

Non-discrimination according to sex

Marry

Race

Cultural background

SOME POLITICAL RIGHTS

Vote in elections

Freely form or join political parties

Live in an independent country

Stand for public office

Freely disagree with views and policies of political leaders

SOME ECONOMIC RIGHTS

Jobs

Work without exploitation

Fair wage

Safe working conditions

Form trade unions

Have adequate food

Protection against labor malpractices

SOME SOCIAL RIGHTS

Housing

Education

Health services

Recreation facilities

Clean environment

Social security

SOME CULTURAL RIGHTS

Use own language

Develop cultural activities

Ancestral domains

Develop own kind of schooling

Classifications of rights
1. 1.

Natural Rights inherent upon every person

2. 2.
Constitution provided by the constitution and can only be abolished by the
constitution
3. 3.

Statutory granted by law through Congress

Natural Rights
Constitutional Bills of Rights

Rights are codified in the nations constitution.

This gives rights the status of superior law

They are, therefore, incapable of amendment by legislatures

Only the judiciary has any ability to amend a constitutional bill of rights by interpretation

This is the highest level of rights protection because the Bill of Rights cannot be altered by
the executive

This results in the supremacy of the judiciary as the guardians of rights

Statutory Bills of Rights

Rights are codified in statute law

This gives rights the status of ordinary law

They are, therefore, capable of amendment by legislatures

They are also capable of interpretation by the judiciary as is any other statute

This offers a more flexible but less guaranteed approach allowing the legislature (possibly
dominated be the executive) to amend the Bill of Rights

This still places the judiciary in a powerful position due to its ability to interpret rights

Statutory

Power of Eminent Domain

DEFINITION OF 'EMINENT DOMAIN'

The power the government has to obtain the property of an individual even without the person's full
consent. In most countries, including the U.S., the land owner will be compensated for the land at fair
market value. This power allows the government to seize land to be used in public enterprises such
as roads, schools, or utilities installations. Eminent domain is generally found in some form in most
common law nations.