Citizenship at key stage 4 (Year 10/11)
Unit 01: Human rights
Section 3: Why are human rights important in society today?
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Objectives |
| Children should learn: |
- about the Human Rights Act 1998 and how it can be used to protect the basic rights of citizens in the UK
- to contribute to group and class discussions
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Activities |
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Outcomes |
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Children: |
- Ask pupils to reflect on what they have found out about the Human Rights Act 1998 in the course of this unit and through previous learning. What is included in the Act?
- Invite pupils to reflect on what they have learned. Discuss why particular rights matter to us as individuals and why they matter to our democracy, eg why we value our right to privacy and family life and our right to practice our own religion; why freedom of speech and freedom of the press are necessary in a democracy. What happens when these rights are taken away? Why does the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child emphasise the importance of children and young people participating in decisions that affect them? Do pupils do this, eg through the student council?
- Pupils discuss:
- what the different ways to protect human rights are, eg through the law, by training people in authority to use their powers fairly, by educating people to respect the rights of others
- what sources of advice and support they could use if they felt their human rights had been infringed
- Return to the list drawn up at the beginning of the unit. Pupils review their progress and add additional points to illustrate new areas of learning.
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- discuss and explain why rights and responsibilities are important in society
- know who to go to for help and advice if they feel their rights have been breached
- reflect on their learning about human rights and give examples of what they have learnt during the unit
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Points to note |
- The Human Rights Act 1998 includes 16 basic rights: the right to life; protection from torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; freedom from slavery; the right to liberty; the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent court; the right to respect for privacy and family life; the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; the right to freedom of expression; the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association; the right to education; the right to enjoy one's possessions; the right to elect a government by secret ballot; the absence of the death penalty; the right to enjoy the above rights without discrimination.
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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of
activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by
moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
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