Trousse sur les droits de l’homme > Action Ideas: How Can You Get Involved?

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Whether you have just begun to learn about human rights or have been actively involved in human rights activities for many years, there is an important role for you in the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Hundreds of organizations across the country will be sponsoring special events to commemorate the 50th Anniversary and to raise awareness about human rights issues. Initiate your own activities or join established organizations. Express your beliefs on what human rights are through the CREDO campaign. Volunteer your time, spread the word about events, and encourage others to take action!

Not sure where to start? The following section will inspire you to participate! We have compiled a list of interesting, interactive, and creative activities you can use to promote human rights in your classroom, your home, your school, and your community. Four action areas are addressed: Classroom Activities, Extra-Curricular Activities, Community-Oriented Activities, and Fundraising Ideas. We have also included a Helpful Hints section to get you moving in the right direction. We encourage you to adapt the activities to your own interests and to the issues that most closely affect your community and school.

This list is only the beginning! We will continue to add new activity ideas to our website (http://www.unac.org/link_learn/hr_toolkit/), so please keep in touch. We also welcome any of your ideas. Drop us a line by e-mail at 50udhr@unac.org or fax a description of your event to (613) 563-2455. We will post examples of your success stories on our website!

Any contribution you can make to the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will have a positive impact on human rights in your community, in Canada, and abroad. Let’s work together to make this year and the next 50 years an important time for human rights for all!

Human Rights issues are an important part of all subjects areas. Here is a list of some proposed topics that could easily be incorporated into the current curriculum:

Business

Rights of persons with disabilities in the workplace; employment equity; report card of businesses and their human rights records; provincial labour standards; human rights standards and practices in multinational companies; labour rights and unions; gender discrimination in male-dominated or female-dominated occupations; human rights in advertising.

Drama

Historical re-enactments of important human rights event in Canada; exploring issues of racism, prejudice, and intolerance through the dramatic arts medium; interpreting human rights themes in plays.

English

Freedom of expression and opinion; hate literature; censorship; human rights themes in poetry and literature; the history of book banning; how the popular media affects public awareness about human rights.

Geography/World Issues

Refugees and migration; overpopulation; extreme poverty; child labour; development aid and trade among nations; multinational corporations and labour rights; international treaties (e.g. landmines); international cultural awareness; the impact of the Debt Crisis on human welfare; peacekeeping.

History

The development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; human rights issues in Canadian history (e.g. aboriginal rights, the Underground Railroad, women’s suffrage, Japanese-Canadian internment in WW II, the Winnipeg General Strike, War Measures Act, the Asbestos Strike); human rights activists; Nobel Peace Prize winners and their human rights causes; major human rights related trials in history (e.g. Joan of Arc, Galileo, Socrates); human rights landmarks in Canadian history (see the Canadian Human Rights Commission web site at http://www.chrc.ca for further information).

Law

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Canadian law; international human rights law and covenants; international court of justice; self-determination; war crimes tribunals; an analysis of different provincial human rights codes; the organization of human rights legislation in Canada.

Music

Musical compositions from a variety of cultures and heritage backgrounds; musicians in exile; human rights messages in popular music; the impact of the musical community on the civil rights movement; censorship in music.

Physical Education

Sports adaptations for persons with disabilities; the effects of malnutrition (the right to food); gender discrimination in sports; ethics in sports competitions.

Sciences

Global food security; sustainable development; effects of poverty on the environment; water conservation; urban gardening; human rights and technology.

Visual Arts

Painters in exile; expressions of human rights violations in the visual arts; artistic representations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.