HUMAN RIGHTS MODULE FOR
SECONDARY SCHOOL
7. Conduct a question and answer session with all the students on the following matters:
a. State the factors that were the basis for your choices.
b. State why the identity/background of the passengers chosen was an
important factor.
c. Is it right for us to attach importance to people who have a similar background
to ours?
d. Is it right to reject a person with a different background from ours?
e. What have you learned from the activity?
Reference notes for the teacher:
i.
Article 8 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia mentions the prohibition of
discrimination.
ii.
The Malaysian Government has adopted the UN conventions related to the rights of
women, children and persons with disabilities. In addition to the above, the UN also
has conventions dealing with, inter alia, civil and political rights, economic, social
and cultural rights, and the eradication of race-based discrimination.
a. All the above mentioned conventions contain provisions for the rights of every
human being and prohibition of actions that discriminate against any group in a
society.
iii. With regard to acquiring basic needs without discrimination, the UN International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) provides that:
a. Every person has rights to, inter alia, nutritious food, clean water as well as access
to health services (hospitals/clinics, etc.), education, family life, social security,
safe work and so forth;
b. Member states must guarantee that all the rights enshrined in the ICESCR are
provided without any form of discrimination based on race, colour, gender,
language, religion, political views, wealth and so forth.
Sources: International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR);
International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CRC); Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
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