Module 1 – Citizenship Training

Lesson 3 - United Nations Principles on Human Rights

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives
At the end of the topic, students are expected to:
a. recognize human rights as tool for equality and cooperation;
b. identify and explain each provision of the United Nations Declaration of Human
Rights;
c. reflect on the human rights condition in the country;
d. promote human rights awareness.

Learning Content

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The issue of human rights remains relevant as of this day. Every individual is entitled to
his rights in consonance with the existing laws and policies of his ethnicity. In 1948, the United
Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
which was translated into 360 languages – the most translated document in the world. Although
the declaration does not guarantee that no human rights abuse will happen, it serves as guide to
every country in crafting their laws and policies concerning human rights. It is composed of
thirty articles from which the world based its decision to discern what is right and what is wrong.

Thus, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is defined as a common standard of

achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of
society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to
promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and
international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the
peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their
jurisdiction.

Preamble

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all
members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which
have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall

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enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the
highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to

rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of
law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in
fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights
of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life
in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the
United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and
fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest

importance for the full realization of this pledge.

Article 1 - All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed
with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2 - Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration, without
distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made
on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to
which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other
limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3 - Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4 - No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be
prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5 - No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or

punishment.

Article 6 - Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7 - All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal
protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation
of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

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Article 8 - Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for
acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9 - No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10 – Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent
and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal
charge against him.

Article 11- (1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until
proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary
for his defence.

(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission
which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time
when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was
applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

Article 12 - No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or
correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the
protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 13 – (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders
of each State.

(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his
country.

Article 14 – (1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from
persecution.

(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from
non- political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15 – (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to
change his nationality.

Article 16 – (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or
religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to
marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending
spouses.

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(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to
protection by society and the State.

Article 17 – (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with
others.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Article 18 – Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right
includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community
with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice,
worship and observance.

Article 19 – Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes
freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20 – (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21 – (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or
through freely chosen representatives.

(2) Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.

(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall
be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal
suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Article 22 – Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to
realization, through national effort and international cooperation and in accordance with the
organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights
indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 23 – (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and
favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for
himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if
necessary, by other means of social protection.

(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his
interests.

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Article 24 – Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working
hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25 – (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-
being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and
necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness,
disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children,
whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Article 26 – (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the
elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and
professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally
accessible to all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to
the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote
understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and
shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their
children.

Article 27 – (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community,
to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting
from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Article 28 – Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and
freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Article 29 – (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full
development of his personality is possible.

(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such
limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition
and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of
morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and
principles of the United Nations.

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Article 30 - Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or
person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of
the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

Issues of Human Rights in the Philippines

1. Philippine War – Drug Campaign - human rights groups and activists are accusing the
Duterte government of extra-judicial killings.

2. Death Penalty – many representatives filed bills seeking to reinstate the Death Penalty
which were strongly opposed by the Catholic Church

3. Lowering the Age of Criminal Liability – the constitution provides that children are 18
years below. Lowering the criminal liability is a violation of children’s rights.

4. Freedom of Expression – the closure of ABS-CBN and veteran journalist Maria Ressa
were categorized by their supporters as violation of human rights.

5. Rights of the members of the LGBTI Community – the controversial SOGIE Bill
divided the opinions of Filipinos about human rights.

Additional Information of the Human Rights in the Philippines

1. Human rights can be classified as individual, collective, civil, political, economic,

social and cultural.

2. Article III of the 1987 Constitution also called as the Bill of Rights provides Filipino
citizen’s rights, protection and privileges.

3. In 2014, nearly 75,000 people filed for recognition as victims of human rights
violations during the implementation of the Martial Law.

For more information on Human Rights Issues in the Philippines, you may visit:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/philippines/report-
philippines/?fbclid=IwAR08Y2g2Zlb9trelKj5RGQ-h2W2z-
Vib4VRDHSgoVlgpyHjMkmpbn4eHaN4

Learning Activity

Directions:Interview someone who had experienced Martial Law. Let them compare the human
rights situation then and now. Report the report of your interview.

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Learning Assessment

Directions:Answer the following questions

1. What is human rights and how does it affect our daily living?

2. What can you say on the human rights situation in the Philippines? Expand your answer.

3. How will you promote human rights awareness?

Learning References

July 21, 2020https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf

July 21, 2020 https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/philippines/report-

philippines/?fbclid=IwAR08Y2g2Zlb9trelKj5RGQ-h2W2z-
Vib4VRDHSgoVlgpyHjMkmpbn4eHaN4

July 21, 2020 https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-

republic-of-the-philippines/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines-article-iii/

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