HUMAN RIGHTS

Human rights are considered by many to be the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace. However, there is little international agreement on exactly what human rights are and even less on how to enforce them. This program explores the origin of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and describes how, despite this historic agreement, governments around the world not only discriminate against and often torture and imprison people without trial, but also do not respect their citizens’ basic social and economic rights. Students will learn that while individual nations are ultimately responsible for protecting human rights, the United Nations and other organizations made up of ordinary individuals also play a strong role.