Module V: Human Rights, Values and Ethics

 Meaning and Importance of human rights

 Human rights awareness
 Values and Ethics- Learning based on project work on Scriptures like-
Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita etc.

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms entitled to any person, regardless of
economic status, nationality, jurisdiction, age, ability, ethnicity, sex, and sexuality.
These basic rights are the right to life, freedom, equality, justice, and freedom of
thought and expression.

In 1948, the world community spoke through the United Nations by establishing a
framework for human rights awareness and protection with the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (UDHR). This was the first time that the protection of human rights
was officially declared an international responsibility. Since then, human rights
education and awareness has taken root in countries all over the world. The UDHR
is based on values that are shared by ancient philosophies and many religious
traditions, especially the idea that along with our individual rights, we each have a
responsibility to protect the rights of other human beings.
The achievement of human rights for all is an ongoing battle, but there are numerous
grassroots and non-governmental organizations dedicated to its development.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are established and effective
international organizations, but there are many more players on the local level. It is
the role of citizens, communities, grassroots organizations, and governments, as
well as the United Nations, to prevent human rights violations, raise awareness of
human rights and responsibilities, secure respect for all human rights, and promote
international cooperation to protect human rights. Do citizens have rights? If so, what
are they?

For example:

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are
endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards on another in a spirit
of brotherhood.

Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade
shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading

treatment or punishment.

Article 6: Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the
law.

Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

In all, there are 30 articles that comprise the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

With rights, however, come responsibilities:

• Understand and obey international laws;

• Participate in democratic political systems;
• Vote in elections;
• Allow others to enjoy their rights and freedoms;
• Appreciate and help preserve the world’s cultural heritage;
• Acquire knowledge and understanding of people and places around the world;
• Become stewards of the environment;
• Speak out against social injustice, discrimination and racism;
• Challenge institutional thinking when it abrogates human rights.
Values and ethics
values determine what is right and what is wrong, and doing what is right or
wrong is what we mean by ethics. To behave ethically is to behave in a manner
consistent with what is right or moral.

Values at work are-

Business Ethics
Business ethics determines rightness and wrongness of actions of a
businessman. The study of what is ethically
permissible and of what is positively virtuous; in regard to business activity is
what we call business ethics.
“Management ethics” is that discipline which deals with what is good and bad, or
right and wrong or with moral
duty and obligation

Indian Context
India is a country of high values and ethics. It is a land where people of all
religion and cultures, with difference in languages, beliefs, social background
stay together. We see that the various scriptures written by great men of
ancient times, of all the religious backgrounds, speak more or less of the same
concepts. Also, all their teachings, preaching and writings can provide as a guide
for “Effective and Ethical Management.” In present world, where “making profit”
at any cost is the main motive, and where people opine that “either you can be
ethical or do business”; these teachings from the holy books and other scriptures
are a good answer to them, guiding us how both – Ethical and management – go
together.
Now, let discuss how some of the golden words of the scriptures guide us even
today’s corporate scenario.

The Ramayana
One can easily co-relate the modern-say management lessons with Lord Rama’s
teaching in ‘Ramayana’. Lord Rama presents the masterpiece example of
“leading by Value”. How a manager has to tackle the situations is well presented
by him. When Vibhishana asks him how will defeat this huge army with your
limited resources?
He explains using the example of chariot, whose four wheels denote: character,
courage, ethics and valor; the four horses denote: gusto, strength, energy and
passion; and their four reins denote: forgiveness, compassion,
consistency and equanimity. Thus the weaponry: knowledge, strategy,
intelligence, skills, commitment and a restraint of ego- these are the weapons
which can help us win any kind of battle Ramayana gives us example of a “good
manager” in Rama, Sugriva, Vibhishana and that of a “bad manager” in Ravana.
A good manager is one who can even get his work done from the rivals as we
can take for instance; Angad (whose father was killed by Rama) actually helped
in battle. This shows the excellent managerial skill of Rama and Sughriva while
Ravana being a “bad” one, continuously ignored the suggestions
of his managers, including Vibhishana, and lost the battle and his kingdom. Other
aspects of the modern-day management can be seen by: the “High Motivation”
provided by Jamvant to Hanuman when he had forgotten his powers: “Swot
analysis” is done by Hanuman in analysis the strength, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats of the Lankan army, when he was asked to convey
Rama’s message to Goddess Sita; the “Strategic Alliance” formed by Lord Rama
and Sugriva in which the former helped in regaining his lost kingdom while the
latter helped in providing resources and help find Sita and win overt Ravana.
Business are run on relations and Lord Rama in Ramayana has proved that a
manger who can nurture good relations with the employees, clients, and
anyone in whose contact the organization and the management comes in, can do
wonders in the company.

The Holy Quran

The holy Quran also sets out the institutional framework for achieving promised
results. Various ayats in the holy Quran guides us, how ethical concepts are
implied in modern-day management. Obedience and respect for
authority is the basic fundamental requisite. It is necessary for those people who
are given the job to complete a task to obey all legal and reasonable orders and
perform it reasonably, as Holy Quran instructs in this ayat:
[4:59] ‘Obey Allah and his Messenger and those in position of authority among
you. ‘The importance of “jointconsultation” and “team work” is also revealed by
the Quran. As in the following ayat: [3:159] ‘pass over (their faults), and ask for
(God’s) forgiveness for them: and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then,
when you have taken a decision put your trust in God, for God loves those who
put their trust (in Him). ‘The holy Quran also puts forth the principle of “equal
opportunities” which relates to the modern management as all members of an
organization shall have equal and fair to the modern management as all
members of an organization shall have equal and fair chances to grow,
contribute, and be rewarded accordingly. This is presented in the ayat: {49:13]
‘O people we created you from a single male and female couple and then divided
you in nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Verily the most
honorable among you in the sight of Allah is he who is most “righteous” of you.
Also, speaking about the “Elimination of wastage”, the ayat: [17:26] of the Quran:
‘And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to those in want, and to the
wayfarer. But waste not (your wealth, time, health, talents, opportunities etc) in
the manner of a spendthrift
The Holy Bible
As mentioned earlier, the corporate definition of ethics lies in knowing about
actions that are good and bad and also, treating the stakeholders with respect.
The teachings of Jesus Christ and the Ten Commandants as given in the Bible,
has significant impact on business Ethics. These can be illustrated in the
following verses of theBible:
“Do into others as you would have them do to you” has the underlying lessons
for the businesses that they should treat their stakeholders; by the business
operation with the respect and honestly that they would like those people to show
to them.
“Love the neighbor”; neighbor, in terms of business, are those who work in the
organization itself (they are the closest “neighbors” of the business). The term
‘love’ in this verse refers to form the basis of the family type of cultural
environment that many businesses strive to achieve in the workplace.

Good businesses succeed because of the ethical bond they form with
employees. “Thou shalt not bear false witness”, “thou shalt not steal”; these
verses present the ethical value of ‘honesty and trust’. All researchers promote
the values of the honesty and trust as being critical to the building of business
relationships. Honesty in terms of advertising, marketing, financial issues and the
like are of sheer importance. In addition to the above, the influence that the Bible
has upon ethical business practices is also dependent upon the individuals who
lead the organization. It is not the fact that the ethical values might be
incorporated within the business code of practice, but also they will have to see
these values reinforced in practice.

The Bhagavad Gita

The guidelines, teachings and values taught by Lord Krishna to Arjuna during the
battle of the Mahabharata, are so contained in the Bhagvad Gita. The modern
management concepts like vision, leadership, motivation, excellence in work,
achieving goals, meaning of work, attitude towards work, nature of individual,
decision making, planning etc., are all discussed in the Bhagavad Gita with a
sharp insight. When Duryodhana and Arjuna were asked to choose among Lord
Krishna’s army or his knowledge; Duryodhana went for his large army while
Arjuna went for his wisdom. This shows that in terms of “resources”, a manager
must choose wisely and utilize optimally just as Arjuna did. Gita also tells us
about the “commitment towards work” through the law of detachment. By titling
the performance towards the anticipated benefits, the quality of performance of
the present duty suffers on account of the mental agitations caused by the
anxieties of the future. The very popular Shloka 47 of chapter 2 in the Bhagvad
Gita, (“Karmanya Vadhikaraste ma phleshu kadaachan, / ma Kampala
heturbhrma te sango astav akamani”). Your right is only to do your duty, and not
to its fruit or result. Neither the result of your action should be your motive, nor
should you become inactive”. In Chapter 16 of the Gita Sri Krishna elaborates on
two types of Work Ethic viz. daivi sampat or divine work culture means
fearlessness, purity, self-control, sacrifice, straightforwardness, self-denial,
calmless, absence of fault-finding, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty,
absence of envy and pride; and asuri sampat or demonic work culture means
egonism, delusion, desire-centric, improper performance, work which is not
oriented towards service. This principle explains that mere “work ethic” is not
enough in as much as a hardened criminal has also a very good work culture.

What is needed is a “work ethic” conditioned by “ethics in work”. Henry Fayol,

mentioned among his principles, “subordination of individual interest to general
interest” is well depicted in Shlokas 31-38 of Chapter 2 in which Lord Krishna
guides Arjuna to fight “not for his own benefits, not for satisfying his own
greed or desire, but for the good of many”. Krishna also advices, in regard to
temporary failures, “No doer of good ever ends in misery”. Every action
should produce results: good action produces good results and evil begets
nothing but evil. So, one should always act well and be rewarded. Apart from
helping humans in self-discovery, Gita eulogizes Karma i.e. human endeavor of
action (Karma Yoga) is better than renunciation of action (Karma Sanyasa).
We can see how relevant and important aspects of Management and Business
Ethics we can discover from our scriptures. We have seen many people
advocating the concept that one can do either business or ethics. But this
is not the fact. Good actions always yield good results.