Classwork Exercise and Series (Civic Education-JSS1): Human Rights

Meaning of Human Rights

Human rights are the privileges and opportunities individuals have in a given society.They are commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights “to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being,” and which are “inherent in all human beings” regardless of their nation, location, language, religion, ethnic origin or any other status.

These rights are usually entrenched in the constitution, for instance, chapter IV of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria deals with the subject of fundamental human rights. The following are some of the fundamental human rights of the citizen:

1. Right to Life: Every individual has the responsibility to life. No person should, therefore be intentionally deprived or hindered of his or her life.
2. Right to Personal Liberty: Every person must be entitled to his personal liberty.
3. Right to Freedom of Religion: Every individual in a given society is free to practice any religion of interest to him or her.
4. Right to Fair Hearing: Every individual has the right to fair hearing in a court of law. He has the right to engage the service of any solicitor or lawyer if he or she is involved in any case.
5. Right to Freedom of Association: Every individual has the right to belong to or form any association to protect his or her interest.
6. Right to Freedom of Speech: Every individual is given the right to talk and say anything he/she wants to say so far it is not to humiliate another person
7. Right to movement: There is freedom of movement to every individual

  Human Rights Abuse

Human rights abuse refers to the infringement on the rights of an individual resulting in the individual not being able to enjoy his or her fundamental rights. These abuses may result from the following:

1. A citizen is not likely to enjoy his rights when such rights are detrimental to other people’s rights.
2. A citizen may be denied of his right in order to protect the security of the state.
3. During the period of emergency, a citizen may be denied his/her rights. For instance if a country is in a state of war, there may be restrictions which may invariably jeopardize the right of a citizen.
4. A citizen may be denied his right if it is in the interest of defence for his nation.
5. A citizen may be denied his right if it is in the interest of public order.
6. A citizen may be denied his right to prevent trespasses.

Means and Methods of Human Rights Abuse

Individual Aspects

1. Character Assassination: This is an attempt to tarnish a person’s reputation. It may involve exaggeration, misleading half-truths, or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person. It is a form of defamation and can be a form of ad hominem argument.
2. Committed Suicide: Everybody has the right to life, so if anyone decides to kill himself, such a person is abusing human rights.
3. Prostitution: If any lady gets involved in prostitution, whether willfully or forced, such a person’s right is being accused.
4. Involvement in secret cults.
5. Drug abuse.
6. Gender inequality.

Government Aspects

1. Government may disband any association at any point in time.
2. Press may be proscribed.
3. Assassination of innocent citizens.
4. Imposition of religion.
5. Misappropriation of funds by authority.

Effects of Human Rights Abuse

1. It retards the progress of the nation.
2. It leads to loss of lives.
3. People tend to demonstrate apathy towards governmental policies.
4. It can lead to national debt.

Ways of Preventing, or Checking the Human Rights Abuse

1. By the Constitution: An individual can seek redress in court if he is deprived of any of rights.
2. By the Judiciary: An independent judiciary can protect the citizen from any unjust denial of his rights.
3. Public Complaints Commission: This body helps to protect the fundamental human rights.
4. Petition: A petition could be written to appropriate authorities.
5. There is need for checks and balances to prevent the misuse of powers.

Test and Exercise

1. One of the ways by which Human Rights can be prevented is (a) by the constitution (b) by keeping silence (c) by ignoring (d) all of the above
2. Individuals can abuse Human rights in the following ways except (a) prostitution (b) drug abuse (c) loyalty to the country (d) character assassination
3. ———— is the privileges and opportunities individual has in a given society (a) human abuse (b) human right (c) human unbelief (d) all of the above
4. The effects of human rights abuse are these except (a) It can lead to loss of lives (b) It retards the growth of the nation (c) misappropriation of funds (d) growth of the nation
5. The Government can abuse human right by (a) paying the labor force (b) providing good employment (c) imposition of religion (d) supporting the needy