Lesson video

Hello, I'm Mrs. Kelly.

Thank you for joining me for today's lesson.

I'll be working with you today guiding you through the lesson, helping you along the way.

Today's lesson comes from the unit why do we need the right to vote in a democracy, and our lesson today is called what are right and where do they come from? By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to describe what the rule of law is, explain how human rights laws have developed over time, and assess the impact of these laws in shaping democratic societies.

Let's have a look at our keywords for today's lesson.

Firstly, we have rule of law, the principle that all individuals within a state, including government and leaders, are subject to the same laws and must follow them; it ensures fairness, justice, and accountability in society.

Next, we have rights.

Rights are the fundamental freedoms and protections that individuals are entitled to by law.

Democracy, a system of government in which citizens vote in regular, fair elections for representatives who then make laws and decisions on their behalf.

And our final keyword is legislation, a law or set of laws which have been passed by parliament.

The word legislation is also used to describe the act of making a new law.

So in our lesson, what are rights and where do they come from, we are going to be focusing on three key questions, and our first question is, what is the rule of law? So, as we just heard from our keywords, the rule of law is the principle that all individuals within a state, including government and leaders, are subject to the same laws and must follow them.

The rule of law ensures fairness, justice and accountability in society.

It means that no one is above the law, and laws must be applied fairly to everyone.

So, on your screen, you've got a photograph of Lady Justice.

The image of Lady Justice, a blindfolded woman holding a set of balanced scales represents these ideas of fairness, justice and accountability in society.

For example, if a person in a position of power, like a prime minister, a judge, or a police officer were to commit a crime, they would face the same consequences as any other person.

The rule of law ensures fairness and equality in society.

It ensures everyone, including powerful people, are accountable for their actions, and it stops the misuse of power.

The rule of law is also to protect citizens' rights.

Without the rule of law, societies risk descending into chaos, where the powerful can act without consequence, undermining justice and human rights.

The rule of law is important because it ensure fairness and equality in society.

Everyone, including powerful people, are accountable for their actions, and it stops the misuse of power.

All reasons why the rule of law is important.

But can you give me one more reason why the rule of law important? So, Jacob's come up with a reason.

He says, "The rule of law also protects citizens' rights." I think that's the same reason that you came up with.

The rule of law has a long history, dating all the way back to 1215 with Magna Carta.

Magna Carta is the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government were not above the law.

The aim of the Magna Carta was to about equality by holding everyone in society accountable.

Nobody, not even the king, was above the law.

And that image there shows you King John of England signing the Magna Carta all the way back in 1215.

When Magna Carta was first signed, England was an absolute monarchy.

This meant the monarch held all power in society.

Despite this, the monarch was subject to the law.

This is an essential feature of a just society, because it establishes that no leader, regardless of their position, is above the law.

This ensures accountability and protects citizens' rights from arbitrary rule.

Let's have a look at these statements.

Which of the following statements about Magna Carta is true? Is it, A, it was the first document to state that the king and his government were not above the law, B, it allowed the king to have absolute control over the people of England, or C, it abolished the monarchy and replaced it with a democratic government where all citizens had equal power? So the correct answer here is A, it was the first document to state that the king and his government were not above the law.

Well done if you got that one right.

But why does the rule of law matter? It prevents power abuse and holds our leaders accountable.

It safeguard individual rights and freedoms, for example, free speech, fair trial, and legal equality.

It builds trust in institutions, strengthening our democracy.

And it also establishes clear laws for a stable, conflict-resolving society.

It protects us against dictatorships and corruption.

A dictatorship is a form of government where one person or a small group holds absolute power, without being restricted by laws, election or opposition.

In a dictatorship, leaders often make decisions without the input or approval of the people, and citizens typically have very limited rights and freedoms. Have a read of these statements and decide which of the following is not aligned with the principles of the rule of law.

Is it A, it establishes a legal framework where all citizens, regardless of status, are equal before the law, B, it ensures that laws are consistently applied and protects fundamental rights, C, it permits authorities to bypass legal procedures in times of crisis to maintain control, or D, it promotes public trust by limiting arbitrary use of powers and promoting accountability? So which of those is not aligned with the principles of the rule of law? So the correct answer here is C, it permits authorities to bypass legal procedures in times of crisis to maintain control.

That is not aligned with the rule of law.

Let's have a practise of what we've learned so far.

So, Sam has given us a definition of the rule of law.

Sam has said, "The rule of law ensures that laws are applied fairly to most citizens, while allowing government officials and leaders certain privileges and exceptions in order to carry out their duties effectively." Sam's definition of the rule of law is incorrect.

I would like you to write a new definition that demonstrates your understanding of the rule of law.

Pause the video now and have a go.

So we asked you to read Sam's definition of the rule of law and we told you that her definition wasn't quite right, it was incorrect.

I asked you to write a new definition that demonstrates your understanding of the rule of law.

I've given you an example.

I wonder if your answers look like mine.

So I said, "The rule of law ensures that laws are applied fairly to everyone, including government officials and leaders.

No one's above the law, and there are no special privileges or exceptions for those in positions of power.

This principle holds everyone accountable, ensuring fairness, justice and the protection of citizens' rights, regardless of their status in society." Have a look at your answer and see if you managed to pick all of those things.

I'd like you to write a conversation between Sam and Andeep discussing the question, why is the rule of law important in our society? Pause the video now to do that.

I asked you to write a conversation between Sam and Andeep discussing why the rule of law is important in our society.

I wonder if your conversation contained any of these.

Andeep says, "Well, without the rule of law, those in power could do whatever they wanted.

Imagine if leaders could break laws without facing any consequence.

That would undermine fairness for everyone else." Sam replies, "That's true.

The idea that even leaders have to follow the law keeps things balanced.

But how does it really protect ordinary people?" "It protects our rights.

Think about free speech or fair trials.

If the rule of law didn't exist, those rights could be taken away, especially by powerful people." And Sam says, "Exactly.

It stops misuse of power and prevents chaos.

Without it, corruption and dictatorship could easily take over." For the final part of this task, I'd like you to discuss with a partner a statement, "The rule of law is applied equally to all in society." Decide with your partner whether or not you agree with this statement and why, and wherever possible, use examples to support your discussions.

Pause the video now to do this.

So I asked you to have a discussion with your partner about the statement, "The rule of law is applied equally to all of society." I want you to decide whether or not you agreed with the statement or not and why.

And I asked you to include examples wherever possible to support your discussions.

You might have discussed some of the following things.

"I disagree that the rule of law is always applied equally in the UK.

Historically, even though laws like Magna Carta aim to ensure fairness, inequality persisted.

For example, during the 20th century, the treatment of the Suffragettes highlighted this disparity.

While they fought for equal voting rights, they were imprisoned and treated harshly under laws that were supposed to apply equally.

This shows that while the rule of law as a principle is important, its application has not always been equal in practise." I wonder if you said something similar.

In the next part of our lesson, we're going to look at what is the history of human rights legislation? In this part of the lesson, we're going to look at the timeline of human rights legislation.

We're gonna start by looking at the English Bill of Rights, which happened in 1689.

We're then going to look at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Then we'll look at the European Convention of Human Rights in 1950.

We'll then look at the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child from 1989.

Before finally looking at the 1998 Human Rights Act.

Let's take a look at each of pieces of legislation in turn.

Let's take a look at the 1689 English Bill of Rights.

This bill lays down limits on the power of the monarchy and sets out the rights of Parliament, including the requirement for regular parliaments, free election, and freedom of speech in Parliament.

The English Bill of Rights laid down the foundations of the type of government we have today, a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch is head of state, but people have individual rights, and there is an elected parliament.

We're now gonna move forward and look at the 1940 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In 1948, the United Nations or the UN introduced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, sometimes called the UDHR.

The UDHR was a milestone document in the history of human rights.

However, the declaration, in itself, is not legally binding.

The UN, United Nations, is an international organisation that was founded in 1945.

The UN is made up of 193 member states.

It is a place for the world's nations to come together and discuss common problems and find solutions for them.

The UDHR was drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds for many regions of the world.

It was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly as a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations.

It states, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally recognised.

And since it was written, it has been translated into over 500 different languages.

The UDHR contains 30 articles, or rights, that may include the following: Article 3, everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4, no one shall be held in slavery or servitude, and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Article 7, all are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.

Article 18, everyone has the right to freedom of thoughts, conscience and religion.

Have a read of these statements and decide which of the following best describes the core aim of the UDHR.

Is it A, to establish an international court to settle human rights disputes? Is it B, to outline the legal responsibilities of government in criminal cases? Or was it C, to set out a universal standard for human rights that applies to all people and nations? So the correct answer here is C, the UDHR's core aim is to set a universal standard for human rights that applies to all people and nations.

Well done if you got that right.

Then the next piece of legislation that we're gonna take a look at is the European Convention on Human Rights, the ECHR.

This is a treaty created by the Council of Europe to protect people's rights and freedoms. All 46 countries in the Council of Europe follow this treaty, and it includes important rights like: the right to life, freedom from torture, freedom of speech, the right to a fair trial.

So we've used the word treaty there, which might be a word you've not come across before.

Aisha tells us that a treaty is a formal agreement between countries.

All Council of Europe members states have ratified the ECHR, and they are therefore legally bound by it.

If someone believes their rights are being violated, they can take their case to the European Court of Human Rights, and that court is in Strasbourg in France.

Let's have a read of these statements and decide which of the following is a key feature of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Is it A, allow individuals to go to the European Court of Human Rights for rights violations, B, it only protects individuals' right to freedom of speech, C, it applies to all countries around the world, or D, it was created to enforce economic policies across Europe? Which of those do you think is a key feature of the European Convention on Human Rights? So well done if you selected A.

It allowed individuals to go to the European Court of Human Rights for rights violations.

So we're now gonna take a look at the UN Convention the Rights of the Child, the UNCRC.

This is an international convention which recognises the unique needs and rights of children under the age of 18.

So, unlike the previous legislation, treaties and declarations we've looked at so far, this one is specifically focusing on the rights of children and those under the age of 18.

It is a legally binding agreement signed by 196 countries, and it outlines 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child's life.

So some of the articles include Article 13, freedom of expression and the right to be heard.

Article 19, the right to be safe from violence.

Article 31, the right to relax and play.

And Article 28, the right to an education.

These are just four examples of the article from the UNCRC.

So let's have a read of these statements, and I'd like you to tell me which of the following is a key right under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We've got A, children have the right to be heard, have their opinions considered in decisions affecting their lives.

B, children have the right to decide government policies that impact their communities.

C, children have the right to complete independence in making legal decisions.

Or D, children have the right to be treated as adults in all matters affecting them.

Which one of those do you think is a key right under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? So the correct answer here is A, children have the right to be heard and have their opinions considered in decisions affecting their lives.

1998: The Human Right Act.

Now, this is a UK Act of Parliament which sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to.

It incorporates the rights that were set out in the European Convention on Human Rights, ECHR, into British law.

All public authorities, so that's people like the government, the National Health Service, schools and the police must follow the Human Rights Act 1998.

Which of the following options is a universal and international piece of human rights legislation? Is it A, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, B, the European Convention on Human Rights, or C, the Human Rights Act? So well done if you selected A, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The keywords to look at there there were universal and international.

Let's practise what we talked about so far.

So here we have a timeline with five dates, and those dates correlate to pieces of human rights legislation or declarations.

I'd like you to have a go at completing the timeline, telling me which piece of human rights legislation happened in which date.

And when you've done that, I'd then like you to write me a sentence to describe each piece of legislation or declaration.

Pause the video now to do that.

So I've given you a timeline of five dates, and the first thing I asked you to do was complete the timeline of human rights legislation.

So our first date was 1689, and you should have said that was when the English Bill of Rights was made.

We then moved on 1948 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

1950 should have been the European Convention on Human Rights.

1989, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

And finally 1998, the Human Rights Act.

Well done if you managed to name all five of those pieces of legislation and put them in the right order.

I then asked you to write a description of each piece of legislation.

So your answers may have looked something like this.

The English Bill of Rights lay down limits on the powers of monarch and sets out the rights of parliament.

The Declaration of Human Rights states, for the first time, fundamental human rights be universally recognised across the world.

It is not legally binding.

The European Convention on Human Rights is a treaty created by the Council of Europe to protect people's rights and freedoms. 46 European countries have signed.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a legally binding treaty signed by 196 countries.

It recognises the unique needs and rights of children and young people under the age of 18.

And finally, the Human Rights Act 1998 incorporates the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights, ECHR, into British law.

Well done if you managed to get that information into yours.

In the final part of today's lesson, we're going to look at which piece of legislation has had the most impact? So human rights legislation has played a crucial role in shaping the protection of individual rights and freedom.

The impact of the different pieces of legislation can be measured in different ways.

And the things we're gonna be focusing on are factors such as the number of people they have protected, the lasting changes they brought to societies, and whether they inspired future laws.

Another areas that we're gonna look at is their relevance globally, which also helps to determine their overall impact on protecting human rights today.

So let's take a look at the pieces of legislation we looked at in the previous answers.

Firstly, we looked at the English Bill of Rights.

So how impactful do we think the English Bill of Rights has been? It reduced the power of the monarchy, helping set up the democracy that we have today.

It gave us rights, like free speech in Parliament.

And it influenced important documents around the world, like the US Bill of Rights.

Limitations.

It focused mostly on government and Parliament, not on individual rights for everyone.

But it also only applied in the UK, not internationally.

We've got four statements here, and I would like you to decide what was one positive outcome of the English Bill of Rights.

Was it A, it limited free speech in Parliament, B, it helps set up the democracy we have today, C, it gave more rights to monarchy, or D, it only applied in the UK? Which of those is a positive outcome of the English Bill of Rights? So the correct answer is B, it helps set up the democracy we have today.

Well done if you got that one right.

So let's have a look at how impactful the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was.

So Lucas tells us, "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was significant because it set a global standard for human rights that almost every country agreed with.

It has even inspired many nations to include these rights in their own laws.

However, the challenge is that it is not legally binding, so countries can ignore it without facing any real consequences.

Some governments still violate these rights, even though they've signed the declaration." Which of the following describes a key limitation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? A, it isn't legally binding, so countries can ignore it without consequences, B, it only applies to democratic countries and excludes dictatorships, C, most countries have not agreed to it, or D, it only covers political rights, not social or economic rights? So the correct answer here is A, it isn't legally binding.

Well done if you got that one right.

Let's have a look at how impactful the European Convention on Human Rights is.

So, European Convention on Human Rights is legally binding in Europe, meaning people can take human rights cases to court.

It holds governments responsible for protecting human rights.

But there are some limitations.

It can take a long time for cases to go through the system because it deals with cases from across all of Europe.

Some governments argue that it limits their control over their own national laws.

Let's have a look now at the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the impact that has had.

So Laura says to us, "The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provides comprehensive protection for children's rights around the world.

It hold governments accountable to international standards on things like child welfare and education.

But the problem is that not all countries enforce these rights properly, so there are still big differences in how children are protected in different parts of the world." Thanks, Laura.

Which one of these three options is one of the main challenges with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? Is it A, it is not recognised by most governments, B, it only focuses on education and ignores other aspects of child welfare, or C, some countries do not fully enforce the rights, leading to inconsistencies? So the correct answer here is C.

One of the main challenges of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is that some countries do not enforce the rights, leading to inconsistencies, or they don't fully enforce the rights.

Let's take a look at how impactful the Human Rights Act 1998 is.

The Human Rights Act allows UK citizens to defend their right on local courts, without them having to go to the European Court of Human Rights.

It is a clear set of rules for protecting human rights in the UK.

But the Human Rights Act does have its limitations.

In recent years, some politicians have said they want to change or replace the law.

And the law only applies in the UK.

To finish the lesson, I'd like you to think about which piece of legislation or declaration you think have been the most impactful.

Have a discussion with your partner, and then write a summary of your discussion.

And there's a few things I'd really like you to consider during the discussions.

Firstly, what is the main purpose of legislation? Who does it impact? What is its level of influence? And how has it shaped rights in today's society? Pause the video now and have that discussion.

I asked you to have a discussion with a partner about which piece of legislation or declaration you think has been most impactful.

Now, there's no right or wrong answer.

All of the legislation has had an impact.

I'm gonna show you one example, and I wonder if your discussions agreed with the example or not.

So I've said, "I believe that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UDHR, has been the most impactful.

Its main purpose was to establish a global standard for human rights, affecting people worldwide by promoting fundamental rights, like freedom and equality.

Unlike early documents which focused on specific nations, the UDHR's influence in international, inspiring many national laws.

Although it's not legally binding, it has shaped modern human rights protections and remains a reference point for global justice, continuing to influence governments and international bodies in promoting human rights today." So like I said, there wasn't a right or wrong answer to that question.

You may well have decided that a different piece of legislation was more impactful, I'd be really interested to know what your reason for that was.

So we've reached the end of today's lesson.

Thank you so much for joining me.

Let's have a quick summary of what we've talked about.

The rule of law is essential for maintaining a just and democratic society, ensuring that everyone, including those in power, are subject to the law.

A strong rule of law promotes public trust in legal and governmental institutions, which is vital for the stability and fairness of democratic systems like that of the UK.

Key human rights legislations, such as Magna Carta and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have strengthened the rule of law by safeguarding individual freedom and preventing the misuse or abuse of power.