Part Three
You Can Do Something About It
This
is the last section.
Its purpose
is to show the children
how they can protect
their own and other
peoples’ rights.
Section 1: Responsibility
for the rights of
others.
This
section teaches
the students that
having rights does
not mean that they
can take away others’ rights
in the name of exercising
their own. They must
grant others their
rights as well as
uphold their own.
1.
Review Article
29 “Our Responsibilities — We
have a duty to other
people, and we should
protect their rights
and freedoms.”
2.
Have the students
remember the example
of the student yelling “Fire!” in
the middle of a town.
Explain how others
could have been hurt
in that situation.
This will help them
grasp their responsibilities,
since the children
in the example had
the right to work
in peace and not
be lied to and frightened
about a fire that
did not exist. Help
them realize they
cannot insist on
their rights to the
harm or injury of
others.
3. Have them give
examples of how they
could exercise their
rights to hinder
others.
4. Now have them
give examples of
how they can defend
their own rights
while granting others
their rights.
Section 2: Telling
others about human
rights violations
This section explains
how the children
can tell others about
human rights violations
so these can be handled.
1.
Ask what they would
do if they
witnessed a violation
of someone’s
rights.
2. Give them suggestions
for action:
a. Tell their parents,
teachers or local
police. Have them
approach another
student who pretends
to be one of the
above and tell the
student about a human
rights violation
they noticed.
b.
Write to local
and international
groups – NGOs
(non-governmental
organizations),
United Nations groups
and human rights
organizations. Make
sure they know what
a non-governmental
organization is.
c.
Write to their
government – local,
national or international.
d. Add any other
appropriate ways
they can report an
abuse.
e. Have them write
such a letter and
send it.
f. Give them a
copy of the address
list. Tell them they
can come to you when
they need help writing
a letter or telling
someone about a human
rights violation.
