Every person is entitled to certain fundamental rights, simply due to the fact that he or she is a human being. These are called human rights. The United Nations determines that these 30 rights are not simply whims or privileges, but rights which every human on earth is entitled to. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) describes the rights to which each person is entitled. The document was adopted by the United Nations (UN), which came into being shortly after the end of World War II in 1945.

This course will give an overview of the United Nations, the development of the UDHR and the leading historical figures in its inception, including Eleneanor Roosevelt.  It will  cover the 30 human rights as laid out in the UDHR in more detail and explain what the process is for those whose rights are violated.  There will be audio visual aids and a number of projects along the way to help students understand each right and the process for ensuring that these rights are ensured.  

The first class will be an introduction and story of human rights development. Each week following this will focus on one article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  The final week will focus on the future of human rights.

Week of Jan. 23:  History and Introduction of Human Rights 

Week of Jan. 30: Article 1 "We are all born free and equal"

Week of Feb. 6:  Article 2  Human Rights apply equally to everyone 

Week of Fe. 13 Article 3 The Right to life, liberty and security 

Week of Feb. 20:  Article 4 The Right to not be enslaved 

Week of Feb. 27: Article 5 The Right to not be tortured 

Week of March 6: Article 6 The Right to be recognized before the law

Week of March 13: Article 7 Equality before the law 

Week of March 20: Article 8 The Right to an effective remedy before the court 

Week of March 27: Article 9 The Right to not be subject to arbitrary arrest or detention

Week of April 2: Article 10 The Right to fair hearings in criminal trials 

Week of April 9: Article 11 The Right to the presumption of innocence 

Week of April 16: Article 12 The Right against arbitrary interference in privacy and home

Week of April 23: Article 13 The Right to freedom of movement 

Week of April 30: Article 14 The Right to seek asylum 

Week of May 7: Article 15 The Right to a nationality 

Week of May 14: Article 16 The Right to marriage and family 

Week of May 21: Article 17 The Right to own property 

Week of May 28: Article 18 The Right to freedom of thought

Week of June 4: Article 19 The Right to freedom of expression 

Week of June 11: Article 20 The Right to freedom of assembly 

Week of June 18: Article 21 The Right to participate in your government 

Week of June 25: Article 22 The Right to social security 

Week of July 2: Article 23 The Right to work 

Week of July 9: Article 24 The Right to rest 

Week of July 16: Article 25 The Right to a basic standard of living 

Week of July 23: Article 26 The Right to education 

Week of July 30: Article 27 The Right to participate in cultural life 

Week of Aug. 6: Article 28 The Right to a social and international order 

Week of Aug. 13: Article 29 The Right to develop your personality

Week of Aug. 20: Article 30 No government may destroy these rights 

Week of Aug. 27: The Future of Human Rights  

** Topics will cycle back to the beginning at the conclusion of the final week.


The objective of this class is not only to learn about the UDHR and the particular rights that are provided within that document, but it is also to have students critically examine these rights and analyze what they themselves think about these rights.  The teacher gives no opinion but will provide many open ended questions for the students themselves to think in deeper terms about the UDHR and the framework it provides.