INTRODUCTION

Following attainment of independence by almost all countries in the world today, the struggles of the human race did not in a way end with the end of colonialism. A new struggle begun almost immediately upon realization of independence in the newly independent states. The struggle was not for political freedom from outside forces, but individual freedoms from within. The concept of human rights has been a university idea and has taken over the face of the struggles for independence that characterized nations in the mid-1900s. As new governments emerged after colonial rule, the greatest challenge faced by citizens of the newly independent states, was on how their governments would relate with them. Abuse of power, extra judicial killings on political lines and a general disregard of the basic tenets of rights and freedoms that individuals have catapulted, and the tone for civil liberties was mythical. However as the citizenry in the former colonies became more aware of their role within a state coupled with the collapse of communism and the emergence of democracy in most countries, it was a matter of time that the language of human rights became the talk for almost every political office aspirant. Human rights are fundamental and form the basis of democratic tenets and principles. This module explores what human rights are. It gives an historical view through to the universalization into the domestic jurisdictions.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this module are:

• To explain what human rights are?
• To give an historical view on the development of the concept of human rights
• To examine the universalization of the concept of human rights
• To examine the bill of rights as a source of human rights in Zambia
• To examine the different classes of rights in the Zambian bill of rights
• To examine and explain the enforcement mechanism of human rights

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Know and explain what human rights are
• Know and give an overview on the development of the concept of rights
• Know and explain the move towards universalization of the concept of human rights
• Know and explain how the Zambian bill of rights is a source of human rights in Zambia
• Know and explain the different classes of rights in the Zambian bill of rights
• Know and apply the mechanisms for the enforcement of the bill of rights in Zambia  

UNIT 1 – HUMAN RIGHTS: AN INTRODUCTION

UNIT 2 – CATEGORISATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

UNIT 3 – HUMAN RIGHTS AND CULTURAL RELATIVISM

UNIT 4 – THE ZAMBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK

UNIT 5 – ENFORCEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER THE BILL OF RIGHTS

UNIT 6 – THE AFRICAN UNION DIMENSION

 

RECOMMENDED READING:

Chanda Alfred. (2011). Human Rights Law in Zambia: Cases and Materials. Lusaka: UNZA Press Fenwick Helen. (2016). Civil Liberties and Human Rights. London: Routledge