Media 
This video will introduce you to the organization Journalists for Human Rights. They discuss their growing awareness of the positive role that media can play in spreading information and educating people about human rights.
Countries in conflict are very aware of the power of media. As a result, the work of a journalist can sometimes become very dangerous or even deadly.
Response Question:
What rights and freedoms are exercised by a journalist in the course of their work?

Globalization

Watch this brief clip from a CBC Fifth Estate documentary entitled "Made in Bangladesh." Journalist Mark Kelly explores the impact of North American consumerism on the lives of people working in the garment industry and the connection between economic pressures and the human rights. You may find this clip upsetting

Response Questions:

From a personal perspective, what are your thoughts? From a legal perspective: Should the Canadian government create and implement legislation that sets corporate safety standards that must be met regardless of the location of a factory or industry?

Natural Resource Exploitation

This video outlines the concerns of Indigenous peoples in Cambodia surrounding the development of natural resources.

Response Questions:

Chanthy Dam takes significant risks to bring the rights violations into the public eye. What concerns does Chanthy Dam have regarding Indigenous communities? Why does Chanthy Dam feel that legal and human rights and education are so important for Indigenous peoples?

Technology

Read this article in which the author, Iain Levine, briefly mentions the negative attention received by technological developments and then focuses upon the value that technology has in promoting human rights.

Note: If you click on the word "article" it will open a new tab in your browser. Close that tab when you are finished to return here.

Response Question:

What evidence is used to support the argument made by Human Rights Watch that technology is useful for documenting and disseminating information about human rights violations?

Political Unrest or Conflict

In regions torn apart by war the human rights abuses can be profound and overwhelming. Read this article about the human rights violations occurring in Syria. Notice that the Syrian conflict death toll graph has shaded the bars according to the number of sources that have verified the numbers. Human rights organizations struggle to verify information and conflict regions can be incredibly difficult to access.

Note: If you click on the word "article" it will open a new tab in your browser. Close that tab when you are finished to return here.

Response Questions:

What crimes have both sides been accused of by human rights advocates and organizations? What human rights have been violated and how are these rights violations interconnected?

Economic Demands

Watch this documentary trailer Bottled Life: The Truth about Nestle's Business with Water. This trailer introduces the idea of corporate use of resources. In many nations there is a lack of oversight and legislation to govern the use or overuse of resources by businesses. Some argue that corporations are entitled to purchase land or resources and conduct business as they wish while others feel that resources are something of vital importance to us all and therefore should be protected for the common good of humankind.

Response Questions:

Do you think that access to water should be a human right? What are the controversial aspects of this issue? What position do you think Canada takes or should take with regard to the protection of our water?

Societal Attitudes or Norms

In developing countries human rights are sometimes further compromised by intense poverty, lack of adequate legislation and the necessity to survive. In some places children are working from a very young age in dangerous conditions. Sometimes people feel that they simply do not have any choices. Watch this excerpt from Global 16x9 Darker Side of Chocolate.

Response Question:

The most obvious rights violation is the right to safety. What are the other rights violated?