Resource

An Introduction to Human Rights

In 2021, the UK Government announced plans to reform and improve the 1998 Human Rights Act, the proposed reforms were dropped in 2023. But what are human rights and what impact do they have on society?

 

Photo Credit: Ronald L. Enfield, photographer, Courtesy of UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

Overview

In this lesson students will explore our rights and responsibilities and how they are protected in law. They are challenged to consider if there are circumstances when human rights could be restricted and what should happen when different human rights potentially come into conflict with each other.

An extension activity is included which explores some of the recent debates the Government have been having about reforming the Human Rights Act in the UK.

 

Acknowledgment:

These teaching and learning resources were developed in partnership with the global law firm, Allen & Overy. We are grateful for their support in boosting young people’s awareness of the law, rights, responsibilities, and the ways we can work together to strengthen society for everybody.

More Lessons resources

Lessons, Digital Citizenship, KS4 (ages 14-16)

Who Owns Your Data?

This ready-to-teach double lesson pack is aimed at students in key stages 4 and 5. During the course of...

Lessons, Understanding Rules & The Law, KS2 (ages 7-11)

Rights and Responsibilities

In this lesson pupils will develop an understanding of the terms ‘rights’ and ‘responsibilities’ and how they balance one another. They will then discuss and prepare a class charter that…

Lessons, Social Action/Active Citizenship, KS2 (ages 7-11)

Homelessness

In this lesson pupils will think about what home means to them through writing a poem inspired by the line ‘Home is where the heart is’. They will consider the…

More Politics and Democracy resources

Lessons, Politics and Democracy, KS2 (ages 7-11)

Democracy (Part 3): Why Do We Have Laws?

This lesson forms the final part of a three-part unit on democracy.  Pupils learn about democracy and the rule of law. They discover the different roles of parliament, government and…

Politics and Democracy, KS3 (ages 11-14)

Voting and the General Election

This resource pack is the second of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...

Lessons, Digital Citizenship, KS4 (ages 14-16)

Ethics, Innovation and the Law

Aimed at KS4 and Post-16, your students will: Explore the way technology is developing and the impacts this has...

More Understanding Rules & The Law resources

Lessons, Digital Citizenship, KS2 (ages 7-11)

Digital Footprints

In this lesson, pupils explore what a digital footprint is. They consider what is and isn’t appropriate to share online thinking about the impact of this information both now and…

Understanding Rules & The Law, KS4 (ages 14-16)

Family Law – Cohabitation and Marriage (SmartLaw Subscription)

During the course of the lesson students will learn the difference between marriage and cohabitation and consider what legal rights come with both. Students will  explore the changing attitudes in…

Lessons, Understanding Rules & The Law, KS1 (ages 5-7)

Rules: You Can’t Do That Here

In this lesson pupils will consider that some rules are made to keep people safe. They will follow the story of Callum, a Go-Giver who wants to find a place…

More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources

Lessons, Understanding Rules & The Law, KS4 (ages 14-16)

The Big Legal Lesson 2026 (ages 11-18+)

Join the UK's biggest legal education campaign during February 2025.

Lessons, Politics and Democracy, KS4 (ages 14-16)

Democracy Ambassadors

What was Democracy Ambassadors? Between April 2018 and March 2019 Young Citizens worked with youth leaders to recruit 1,000...

Lessons, Digital Citizenship, KS3 (ages 11-14)

What is Media Bias?

During this lesson students explore what bias within the media is and how it differs from fake news. They...

More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources

Lessons, Sustainability and the Environment, KS4 (ages 14-16)

Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change

During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what...

Lessons, Sustainability and the Environment, KS4 (ages 14-16)

Climate Action: Using the Law to Drive Change

In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate...

Lessons, Understanding Rules & The Law, KS4 (ages 14-16)

Employment Law (SmartLaw Subscription)

During this lesson students explore the law that applies to young workers and what they can do if they believe their legal rights at work are not being upheld. To…