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Grass roots human rights

Students examine Professor Lowitja O'Donoghue's Ten Point Plan for Human Rights Action and consider what initiatives they, as a group or as individuals, can take.

To mark Human Rights Day 2003, Professor Lowitja O'Donoghue gave the Third Annual Human Rights Oration entitled Grass roots human rights: beyond symbolism at the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission. In it she suggests that we have some way to go in the area of human rights but there is opportunity in most contexts for everyone to make a difference - even if it can only be one step at a time. To assist this process she has devised a Ten Point Plan for Human Rights Action.

Butchers paper
Felt pens

Grass Roots human rights
Download Ten Point Plan for Human Rights Action and Worksheet.
Divide class into pairs or groups and give each a copy of Ten Point Plan for Human Rights Action.
Read and discuss the plan.
Give each student a copy of the Worksheet and in the same groups consider how they personally relate to the ten points.
Each student records their thoughts on their worksheet.
Class regroups and teacher collates ideas on butchers paper.

Beyond Symbolism
Download and read Excerpts or Third Annual Human Rights Oration : Grass roots human rights: beyond symbolism.
Visit websites which address human rights issues such as:
Equal Opportunity Commission, Victoria
Amnesty International Australia
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Centre
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Refugee Council of Australia
Edmund Rice Centre
Choose human rights issues in Australia which students feel are unacceptable.
As a class, in groups or in pairs, take action using the Ten Point Plan for Human Rights Action strategies.
Plan a class or school assembly to report action.

RNW Fact sheets:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Professor Lowitja (Lois) O'Donoghue AM CBE
Reconciliation
Fair dinkum! social justice and equity in your school
Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Migrants
Institutional racism

Third Annual Human Rights Oration
Amnesty International Australia
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Centre
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Refugee Council of Australia
Edmund Rice Centre