Module 5 PDF

Republic of the Philippines
MODULE Province of Aklan
05
Municipality of Libacao
LIBACAO COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NSTP Libacao, Aklan
UNDERSTANDING THE
NATIONAL SERVICE
TRAINING PROGRAM
A Modular Worktext for Civic Welfare Training Service 1 (CWTS 1)
Module 5
INTRODUCTION
This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help
you master the different competencies. The scope of this module permits it to be
used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the
diverse vocabulary level of learners. The lessons are arranged to follow the
standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be
changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.
This module is focused on:

Lesson 1 – Human Rights and Human Dignity
After going through this module, you are expected to
 Discuss historical events, basic concepts and principles of human dignity,

human rights and common good;
 Be aware and appreciate of laws and declarations that protect human

rights ;
 Be exposed to human rights situations and issues in the Philippines ;
 Contribute to the protection and enhancement of human rights in the

Philippines.
Lesson
01 Human Rights and Human Dignity
“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.”
What is it that makes us who we are as human beings? What can be said
to be unique and special about us as beings, and as individuals? How can the
law recognize this? What fundamental concept lies at the heart of human rights
law? In this module you will have the opportunity to address these questions by
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exploring the rise of the exciting and challenging legal concept of human dignity,
which has been important in constitutional and human rights law across
Philippines. Human dignity now lies at the heart of a heated international
discussion on its merits, risks and meanings in the field of law, and on the ways
in which people’s interests can and should be respected and protected through
human rights and constitutional law. This module will take you through some of
the key stages of the construction of this new legal concept and engage you in
discussing some of the key methodological and theoretical issues underpinning
it. The module gives you the opportunity to learn about the latest international
theoretical discussions on this subject, while focusing on some essential and
challenging issues, such as the connections between dignity and autonomy,
equality, integrity and human time The module is also suitable for
interdisciplinary pathways.
CONTENT
Human Dignity and Human Rights
Human dignity is the recognition that human beings possess a special

value intrinsic to their humanity and as such are worthy of respect simply
because they are human beings.
Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery
and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education,
and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.
Human rights are norms that aspire to protect all people everywhere from severe
political, legal, and social abuses. Examples of human rights are the right to
freedom of religion, the right to a fair trial when charged with a crime, the right
not to be tortured, and the right to education.
What are human rights?
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our
nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion,
language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights
without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and
indivisible.
3
Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the
forms of treaties, customary international law , general principles and other
sources of international law. International human rights law lays down
obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts,
in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of
individuals or groups.
Universal and inalienable
The principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of

international human rights law. This principle, as first emphasized in the
Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, has been reiterated in
numerous international human rights conventions, declarations, and
resolutions. The 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, for example,
noted that it is the duty of States to promote and protect all human rights and
fundamental freedoms, regardless of their political, economic and cultural
systems.
Human rights are inalienable. They should not be taken away, except in
specific situations and according to due process. For example, the right to
liberty may be restricted if a person is found guilty of a crime by a court of law.
Interdependent and indivisible
All human rights are indivisible, whether they are civil and political rights,
such as the right to life, equality before the law and freedom of expression;
economic, social and cultural rights, such as the rights to work, social security
and education , or collective rights, such as the rights to development and
self-determination, are indivisible, interrelated and interdependent. The
improvement of one right facilitates advancement of the others. Likewise, the
deprivation of one right adversely affects the others.
Equal and non-discriminatory
Non-discrimination is a cross-cutting principle in international human

rights law. The principle is present in all the major human rights treaties and
provides the central theme of some of international human rights conventions
such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women.
The principle applies to everyone in relation to all human rights and freedoms
and it prohibits discrimination on the basis of a list of non-exhaustive categories
such as sex, race, colour and so on. The principle of non-discrimination is
complemented by the principle of equality, as stated in Article 1 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and equal in
dignity and rights.”
4
Both Rights and Obligations
Human rights entail both rights and obligations. States assume obligations
and duties under international law to respect, to protect and to fulfil human
rights. The obligation to respect means that States must refrain from interfering
with or curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect
requires States to protect individuals and groups against human rights abuses.
The obligation to fulfil means that States must take positive action to facilitate
the enjoyment of basic human rights. At the individual level, while we are
entitled our human rights, we should also respect the human rights of others.
What is Dignity and What Does it Have to Do With Our Rights?

The basic premise here is that there is something in our status as humans
that makes us worthy of respect.
The Universal Declaration links this with our “reason and conscience”,
something which is part and parcel of being human. It’s not quite that clear cut
though – we still say that people have dignity where they are unable to exercise
reason. In the recent Charlie Gard case, for example, people talked about the
right to “die with dignity” even though the eleven-month old was unable to
reason in the same way that an adult would. It applies to all of us.
In fact, dignity is so tied to our conceptions of humanity, that we use

terms like “inhuman treatment” to describe acts that breach our human rights.
There’s a sense that treating someone humanely means behaving towards them
in a way that’s consistent with their humanity and dignity.
Everyone agrees we have it – and we’re born with it
Well, most people anyway. Dignity is a unifying value, regardless of religious

beliefs. The Universal Declaration was made with the input of people from many
different cultures. Of course, these people might not necessarily agree about
where dignity comes from.
The Universal Declaration says that we are “born…equal in dignity and

rights”. But there’s still the question about if we have dignity before we’re born?
Some people believe it’s arbitrary to say that we have dignity the moment
we’re born, but not while we’re in the womb the day before. So when do we attain
dignity? There’s no easy answer to this question, but currently, unborn children
do not have separate legal recognition under the Human Rights Convention or in
the common law of England and Wales, or the law in Scotland.
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What does dignity do for your rights?
Dignity means that certain acts, such as torture, are prohibited because we
want to “protect both the dignity and the physical and mental integrity of the
individual.” In this sense, dignity is something we hold that we want to protect
from destruction.
For other rights, such as the right to health, dignity is something that we
want to help people achieve. We ensure people have basic rights to so that they
are able to lead a dignified life.
We also think that rights like the right to not be discriminated against are
vital because all human beings are “free and equal in dignity and rights.” Here,
dignity is something that we honour – by recognising that everyone has it. It’s
something that we can never lose.
The idea of dignity is fundamental to how we regard ourselves. It’s something

that connects people from all kinds of cultures and beliefs, and which has
ultimately led to the universal recognition that we need to protect and realise
this dignity for each and every person. We do this through human rights.
References
 https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/pages/whatarehumanrights.aspx
 https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rights-human/
 https://eachother.org.uk/what-is-dignity-and-what-does-it-have-to-do-wit
h-our-rights/
 https://rm.coe.int/168062f74c
 https://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/law/currentstudents/undergraduatem
odules/2018-19/module/?moduleCode=LAW3171&ay=2018/9
 https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/4b6f57b3-f707-4724-b00f-ad1ffce0aa6
3/40/UNCC300_Module2_PRINT.pdf
 https://nstp.upd.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/NSTP-Common-
Module-Syllabus_v2016.pdf

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Republic of the Philippines

MODULE Province of Aklan

LIBACAO COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

This module is focused on:

After going through this module, you are expected to

 Discuss historical events, basic concepts and principles of human dignity,

 Be aware and appreciate of laws and declarations that protect human

 Be exposed to human rights situations and issues in the Philippines ;

 Contribute to the protection and enhancement of human rights in the

Human dignity is the recognition that human beings possess a special

What are human rights?

Universal and inalienable

The principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of

Interdependent and indivisible

Equal and non-discriminatory

Non-discrimination is a cross-cutting principle in international human

What is Dignity and What Does it Have to Do With Our Rights?

In fact, dignity is so tied to our conceptions of humanity, that we use

Everyone agrees we have it – and we’re born with it

Well, most people anyway. Dignity is a unifying value, regardless of religious

The Universal Declaration says that we are “born…equal in dignity and

The idea of dignity is fundamental to how we regard ourselves. It’s something

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