AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL is an independent, worldwide, voluntary movement that works to prevent some of the gravest violations by governments of people's fundamental human rights. The main focus of its campaigning is to:
  • free all prisoners of conscience
  • ensure fair and prompt trials for political prisoners
  • abolish the death penalty, torture, and other cruel treatment of prisoners
  • end extrajudicial executions and "disappearances"
    Amnesty works to promote all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards, through human rights education programs and campaigning for ratification of human rights treaties. For further information about Amnesty's human rights education work contact:

      Human Rights Educators' Network
      Amnesty International USA, 1997
      53 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 1162
      Chicago, IL 60604
      Tel: 312-427-2060
      Fax: 312-427-2589
      vcolucci@aiusa.org

    The following readings and activities are from Human Rights Here and Now, and appear here with the permission of Amnesty International USA.




Activity 2: Human Rights Around The World And At Home



Participants match examples of human rights affirmations and abuses in selected countries with articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
60-90 minutes
Copies of the UDHR and Handout 1, Rights Around the World
Middle school - Adult groups

    Part A: Identifying Rights Issues Around the World

  1. Divide participants into small "research groups" and give each member a copy of the UDHR and Handout 1, Rights Around the World.

  2. Assign each research group a different set of 3-6 statements from Handout 1, Rights Around the World. They have 15-20 minutes to find 2 or more articles from the UDHR that apply to each sentence. For example, Statement 12 "Government troops kill advocates for democracy in China during a peaceful demonstration". represents an abuse of Article 3 (right to life) and an affirmation of Article 20 (freedom to assemble). A guided example may be helpful to start the process.

  3. Regroup participants: if there are 4 in a group, assign each a number from 1 to 4. Then all the "one's" form a group, all the "two's," etc.

  4. Ask the participants in the new group to report to each other on their research group's findings, so that each statement on the handout is covered. Discuss selected statements that they find especially important or interesting.



    5. Part B: Identifying Rights Issues at Home

  5. Have participants generate a similar list of 10 affirmations and 10 abuses that are specific to their own country and community.

  6. Ask participants to return to their original research groups. As in Step 2, participants match the new list of statements with articles of the UDHR.

  7. As a whole group, identify those affirmations and abuses that particularly touch their lives.
    • Why are these particular statements especially meaningful?
    • Are there individuals and groups working to promote and defend the rights people now have?
    • Are there groups working in the USA and/or their community to correct human rights abuses?
    • Are there actions that participants themselves might want to take? If appropriate, begin developing an action plan.



Previous : Activity 1: Human Rights In The News
Next : Handout 1: Rights Around The World


Source: Patrick Manson, Human Rights Educators' Network, Amnesty International USA.