Explicating a Text on Human Rights

Fatima Jabeen, Lecturer in English

National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Karachi Campus
fatij23@hotmail.com
A good way to learn English language is through various topical activities. They may be
situational like at the market, park, restaurant etc. or on various issues or problems
that surround our society like traffic, beggary, disease etc. Human Rights Violation
is an issue, that does come under social sciences but in this article you will see how
a text on human rights can be turned in creative language activities and exercises
that will promote language learning as well as give awareness on the topic to the
students of various levels.

Meaning of Human Rights and Various Violation

Before staring any activity, its always a good idea to brainstorm the topic with your
students, getting their thoughts and opinions about Human Rights and Human Rights
Violations. Therefore, I will discuss Human Rights and its Violations first, so that the
term is clear to you and the students.
All individuals are entitled to basic rights under any circumstances. These include certain
civil liberties and political rights, the most fundamental of which is the right to life and
physical safety. Human rights are the articulation of the need for justice, tolerance,
mutual respect, and human dignity in all of our activity.
To protect human rights is to ensure that people receive humane treatment. To violate
human rights, on the other hand, is to deny individuals their rights. Violation in some
sense means to treat them as if they are less than human and do not deserve of respect and
dignity. Examples are acts typically called "crimes against humanity," including torture,
slavery, rape/physical abuse of women, medical experimentation or illegally taking away
vital organs, and deliberate starvation. International laws, such as the United Nations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 prohibit the various "crimes against
humanity". Most countries including Pakistan have laws that protect human right or at

lest the basic one. However, Pakistan still has to amend some of its human rights laws, as
they are to some extent rigid or against women.
After the World War II a lot has changed but still we witness various, sometimes heart
piercing crimes against humanity. Some of the most hideous violations of the right to life
are massacres, the starvation of entire populations, and genocide. Genocide is often
regarded as the most offensive crime against humanity. Genocide is commonly
understood as the intentional extermination of a single ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Killing group members, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, imposing measures
to prevent birth are all ways to bring about the destruction of a group.
War crimes are crime committed during a war like in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Palestine.
War crimes include taking hostages, firing on civilians; who are defenseless, destroying
buildings such as hospitals or schools, inhuman treatment of prisoners, including
biological experiments, and deliberate destruction of civilian property. Although clearly
outlawed by international law, such war crimes are common.
Torture is used in some cases as a way to carry out interrogations and extract confessions
or information. Today, it is increasingly used as a means of suppressing political and
ideological dissent, or for punishing political opponents who do not share the ideology of
the ruling group. One such place is Guantanamo Bay, where America keeps prisoners of
war under inhumane conditions.
Denying children the basic rights also come under Human Rights Violations. Children are
illegally traded to various countries to work as labours, carpet wearers or camel kids; they
are denied education, food and shelter. This is the basic right of every child.
Mass groups of people may be denied the right to vote or excluded from all forms of
political participation as commonly seen in rural areas of countries. Political oppression
may also take the form of discrimination. When this occurs, basic rights may be denied
on the basis of religion, ethnicity, race, or gender.

Tips for the classroom

Remember terms like sexual violence and rape will be difficult to explain to
students of lower secondary levels, so you can say physical abuse instead.

Be prepared for questions from the students like how can people torture others?
Why do people torture? Do I have Human Rights too? Etc. Handle these questions
tactfully by convincing the students that all humans are equal, despite the
variation in colour, cast or religion.

You may feel this is a tough topic to discuss, but very soon you will realize that
the benefits of Human Rights Awareness with language skill will take a learner
way ahead and they awareness will make him/her a better person and citizen.

It is better to use texts that are related to the specific country in which the students
are living or studying.

Remember in some activities, you may need to model, that is to show them how
the activity will be done.

I deliberately took a difficult text, as easy texts can turn out to be boring or too easy for
advance levels. You may choose a suitable text according to the level you teach. This text
is interesting as it possesses such vocabulary words that are commonly used when one
talks about human rights including organizations like UN and the laws relating to Human
Rights. It clearly explains that a lot needs to be done on Human Rights in Pakistan.

Captive Humanity
Dawn Editorial
Wednesday, 12 Nov, 2008

Some say we live in liberated times. But Pakistans hinterland harbours myriad
tales of captivity. However, a recent step in the right direction promises
changing fortunes for beleaguered hundreds: a sessions and an
additional district judge in Hyderabad released a total of 124 brick kiln
workers on Saturday. These were produced by the police under court
orders and were some of many claims registered against kiln owners,
accusing them of keeping workers in bondage. This occurred shortly after
the Supreme Court issued a last opportunity to the federal government
and other respondents to contest appeals against a Sindh High Court
order that dismissed 94 petitions of detention of bonded farm workers in
Sindh. The appeals date as far back as 2002 and were moved by two
petitioners, Dongar Bheel and Kanji Bheel and the Human Rights
Commission of Pakistan.
Despite the promulgation of laws and attempts by successive governments to initiate labour
reforms, it is tragic that lives continue to reek of the brutality that plagued a
scheduled caste labourer the famous case of Mannu Bheel that evoked
international ire. Mannu had taken an advance sum of money from Rind, a
zamindar, who not only refused to pay his wages but also sold a number of
Mannus family members to another landlord. Regrettably, the vicious cycle spins
on: Dongar also alleges that 18 of his kin were held in bondage and 12 relatives in
Kanjis case were held as bonded workers.
This scourge of slavery persists despite the fact that the Constitution of Pakistan ordains the
state shall ensure the elimination of all forms of exploitation and the gradual
fulfilment of the fundamental principle, from each according to his ability, to each
according to his work. Pakistan is also a signatory to the UN Universal
Declaration of Human Rights 1948, and the ILO Declaration of Fundamental
Principals and Rights at Work; both treaties pledge freedom to choose employment
and an amenable work environment. Captive labourers are also a direct violation
of the countrys indigenous Bonded Labour System Abolition Act, 1992, adopted
following an ILO warning of censure. Sadly, ideals often collide with reality.
Doctrines of ethics may shine on paper but have a long journey before they can
make inroads into feudal-run, impoverished backwaters of Pakistan. This is a
collective human tragedy spun by poverty and illiteracy and these areas can only
be tackled if easy loans are available to haris to ward off the curse of debt bondage.
There has been repeated emphasis by NGOs on the monitoring of kilns and other
work units, where a majority of these excesses take place and police patronage to

influentials must also be eliminated. However, the abolishment of the feudal system
and land reforms remain the ultimate lights at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

Source:
http://www.dawn.net/wps/wcm/connect/Dawn%20Content%20Library/dawn/news/pakistan/captivehumanity--qs

Vocabulary Skills

The teacher must cover the vocabulary skills first, in case if the text has difficult
vocabulary so that other language skills based activities can be covered easily without
explanations regarding the meaning and understanding of words and the text.

More than just the meaning

Aim: To enhance vocabulary with the help of Dictionary.
Level: All
Provide this list of words, ask the students to find out the meaning. As there are a lot of
words you can divide the class into four groups and give each group different
set of words. After they have found out the meanings, ask the groups to come
one by one and tell the meaning to the class. This is a great confidence booster,
as you can ask every student in your class to participle.
To make it more interesting assign roles to students like suppose if there are 4 in a group,
then one student can find out the page where the word is. The other can read out the
meaning, someone else in the group can write it down.
Tips:

A day before this activity ask the students to bring pocket dictionaries, if they
dont bring it daily.

Get as few extra dictionaries from your institutions library, just incase anyone
forgets.

The teacher must find out all the meaning of the given vocabulary before hand,
also write down possible synonyms/antonyms as well as make sentences using
this vocabulary. So you may provide help to students, who face difficulty in
understanding difficult words.

List of Words from the Text on Human Rights

liberated

scourge
harbours
captivity
beleaguered
kiln
bondage
opportunity
respondents
detention
petitioners
commission
promulgation
initiate

slavery
persists
despite
fundamental
amenable
indigenous
censure
impoverished
illiteracy
bondage
patronage
eliminated

reforms
brutality

abolishment

Synonyms and Antonyms

Aim: To enhance vocabulary.
Level: All
With the vocabulary discussed, the meaning discovered and explained, you can move on
to synonyms and antonyms. Give them a list of words and ask them to provide a suitable
one word for synonym. After this, ask them what could be a possible antonym.
Even if they come up with wrong synonyms or antonym it doesnt matter, you have
already initiated the thinking process.

Listening Skills
True and False
Aim:
Level: Secondary
The simplest activity for listening skills is True and False. Read the text slowly and ask
the students to listen carefully. Then ask them questions and tell them to answer in True
or False
Example:
1. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan works against human rights.(T/F)
2. Bonded Labour System Abolition Act was proclaimed in 1992 (T/F)
3. The abolishment of the feudal system will help the poor get equal human rights.
(T/F)
4. If loans with interest are made available to haris, their curse of debt bondage can
be removed.(T/F)

Memory Quiz
Aim: To enhance listening skills.
Level: All
Read the text aloud. Give a written quiz to them after they listen to the text and have
discussed the vocabulary.For secondary levels give them multiple choices. These are just
sample questions, there can be many more.
Q1. How many times was the word human rights is used in this article?
A._____________________
Q2. How many brick kiln workers were released in Hyderabad?
A._____________________
Q3. The appeals in the text date as far back as what year?
A._____________________
Q.4 Which ideals collide with reality?
A._______________________
Q5. Captive labourers are also a direct violation of the countrys indigenousAct
A._______________________

Speaking Skills
Debate Competition
Aim:
Levels: All
Have a healthy debate in the class on human rights, ask students to prepare their speech
on human rights. First discuss with them what they are; what are human right violations,
Most points are provided in the beginning of this article. This activity will help them to
improve their speaking skills and help remove the public speaking fear.

Acting out a Protest

Aim: Boasting students confidence.
Levels: All
Now this activity can be a bit noisy. You may have to take your school/institutes
permission; if possible hold this activity during the recess, where everyone can witness.
Ask the students to prepare colourful banner and charts (see writing skills: Writing
protests) in favour of Human Rights and some charts condemning injustices. Ask them to
prepare some slogans in English. Tell them to think that they are protesting in front of
United Nations Office or Press Club. They can chant out the slogans or hold a public
meeting even a long march, they will surly enjoy it.

Role Play
Aim
Level:All
Role plays are enjoyed by learners of all levels . So provide them a situation for example
a court room, where some workers are asking for justice, students can also do this as act
on a school event or in front of the whole school for awareness. (See writing skills:
dialogues)

Reading Skills
Cloze Passage
Aim: To enhance reading skills through cloze Passage.
Level: All
Cloze passages are often used to test overall ability. Here is a cloze passage with random
omission of verbs, preposition articles nouns Etc. For more focused reading test you may
omit only articles or preposition or a combination of parts of speech.
Remember in case of nouns or verbs if the students uses synonyms or words that make
overall sense, it will not be counted as error. The words from the first sentence of the
close passage should not be omitted.

Some say we live in liberated times. But Pakistans hinterland harbours myriad
tales of captivity. (1)___________, a recent step in the right direction
promises (2)________ fortunes for beleaguered hundreds: a sessions
and an additional district judge in Hyderabad (3)__________ a total of
124 brick kiln workers (4) ________ Saturday. These were produced
by the police under court orders (5) ______were some of many claims
registered (6) ________ kiln owners, accusing them of keeping
(8)________ in bondage. This occurred shortly (9) _______ the
Supreme Court issued a last opportunity to the federal government and
other respondents (10) ______ contest appeals against a Sindh High
Court order that dismissed 94 petitions of detention of bonded farm
workers in (11)________. The appeals date as far back as 2002 and
(12)________ moved by two petitioners, Dongar Bheel and Kanji
Bheel and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Reading Comprehension
Aim: To enhance basic understanding of the Text through specific reading.
Levels: All
Divide the students into groups of four, give them a task. Ask the students to read only
the first paragraph of the Text. Assign roles to the students and explain what they will do.
Predictor- Will guess what the rest of the text will talk about.
Clarifier- Will explain the first paragraph of the text.
Questioner- Will make possible question for reading comprehension.
Summarizer- Will summarize the first paragraph.

Making Suffixes
Aim: To enhance word formation.
Levels: All
Ask the students to read the text carefully. Then take away the text and do some other
activity, related to that does not involve reading possibly listening. Then give the students
the words given below and ask them to form prefixes, hint them that the prefixes of these
words were in the text that they read earlier.
Abolish Abolishment

Bond - Bondage
Brutal Promulgate Patronage Captive Slave -

Suggest another Title

Aim: To enhance creative thinking skills in students.
Levels: All
Ask the students to rename the article. The original title is Captive humanity. Ask
students to give their suggested titles and right them on the board. Ask student to vote for
the best title

Writing Skills
Writing to protest/inform
Aim: To enhance writing skills.
Levels: All
Ask the students to create the charts that will be used for the speaking activity Acting
out a Protest (see speaking skills: Acting out a protest). Encourage them to write slogans
against human rights violations especially in Pakistan. E.g The Poor workers deserve
rights too Give their children education

Rewriting the Text

Aim: To enhance overall understanding of the text and vocabulary through writing skills.
Level: All
Ask the students to rewrite the article in their own words, keeping the text in front of
them and with the help of the vocabulary activity that they did earlier. Give them a word
limit. Remember you are not asking them to summarize, they have to rewrite the whole

article using their own words and sentence structures; as long as the meaning is similar to
the original text.

Story Writing
Aim: To enhance creative writing skills.
Level: Secondary, Advance
Ask the students to read this text and then come up with a story on human rights topic.
They should be characters with names, a setting, situation and an ending. Remember to
give them all the prior information about human rights and human rights violations; in
order to help them, especially secondary students. You can provide a story planning sheet.
A sample is provided here
Story Planning Sheet
Title:
Beginning
(Setting, Characters)

Climax
(Describe attempts to solve the problem)

Dialogue Writing

Middle
(Describe the problem, conflict)

Ending
( How the problem is solved)

Aim: To encourage students to write dialogues for situational speech and court room
language.
Levels: Secondary/Advance.
Using this text as stimulant, provide the students a situation and ask them to write
dialogues on it. For example a landlord is not paying the brick kiln workers anything and
also tortured some of the workers, who protested against him. Now these people with the
help of an NGO are in the court. The setting is that of a court scene. The characters are
the Landlord, the workers of the kiln, Judge and two lawyers. They can then take turns
and act out these dialogues (see speaking skills: Role Play)

Persuasive Writing
Aim: To enable the student to write, using persuasive language with the help of
advertisements.
Level: All
Tell students that they are going to establish an organization that will help poor and
people with introduce the Abbreviations like NGO, UNO etc. Ask them to make a
pamphlet, which will promote your new organization and encourage people to join it. Tell
them to give a name to it. And that they must convince the readers thought their writing.
Example: You must help us to combat child labour, otherwise we will have no future.

Grammar
Parts of Speech
Aim: To enhance/revise Parts of Speech.
Level: All
Provide copies of the text to your students. After discussing and doing the vocabulary
portion with them, distribute your class a table as shown below and ask them students to

Pick out as much as the parts of speech and arrange them in the given columns. Give
them a time limit lets say 15 minutes. The students with the most number of parts of
speech in the given time will win.

Noun

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

Preposition

Conjunction Pronoun