Human Rights Law and Practice

Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya · LL.B. Semester 3 · LAW-CC-314

Unit I — Human Rights: Concept, Origin and Development

1. Evolution of the Concept of Human Rights · Historical Perspective · Natural Law and Human Rights · Natural Law in Recent Times · Opposition to the Idea of Natural Rights · Theory of Social Contract · Liberal thinkers and Human Rights · 2. Landmarks in the path of Liberty · United Kingdom · The Magna Carta (1215) · The Petition of Rights(1628) · Habeas Corpus Act(1679) · The Bill of Rights(1689) · The Act of Settlement · American Revolution · French Revolution · 3. International concern for Human Rights · International concern over Human Rights Prior to the League of Nations · Human Rights and League of Nations · United Nations and Internationalization of Human Rights · Concern for Human Duties

Unit II — Nature, Importance and Classification of Human Rights

1. Nature and Importance of Human Rights · Nature of Human Rights · Right to Economic, Self Determination · Economic, Social and Cultural Rights · Right to Political Self Determination · Right to Life · 2. Classification of Human Rights · Should Human Rights be Classified? · Interdependency, interrelation and indivisibility of Human Rights) · Various grounds of classification (Civil, Political, Social, Economic, Cultural, Negative rights, positive rights etc.) · Generations of Human Rights

Unit III — Traditional Law and Modern Law Concerning Human Rights

1. Traditional Law: Problems of International Personality under Traditional International Law · The Individual : The subject of International Law · Juristic Writings · State Practice · Other Entities as Subject of International Law · Individual as the Bearer of International Rights and Duties · Individuals before International Tribunal · 2. Modern Law: International Protection of Human Rights · Provisions in the U.N. Charter · Legal Nature of the obligations of the Charter in the Matters of Human Rights · International Bill of Human Rights · Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 · Content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights · Importance and Legal Character of the Declaration · Declaration as a part of Customary International Law · Covenants on Human Rights · The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 · The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 · Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights No-1 · Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights No-2

Unit IV — International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

What is Humanitarian Law? Definition of International Humanitarian Law · Similarities and difference between Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law · Application of International Humanitarian Law – ‘Jus in Bello’ · Historical development of International Humanitarian Law - Role of Red Cross · Character and principles of Humanitarian Law · Sources of International Humanitarian Law · The Protection of the defenceless in war – The True “Law of Geneva” or “Red Cross Law” · First Geneva Convention  Second Geneva Convention  Third Geneva Convention · Fourth Geneva Convention  Protocol – I  Protocol – II · Contemporary Issues related to Humanitarian Law · Limitations on warfare (Hague law) · Limits on the choice of methods of means of warfare · Prohibited methods of combat  Prohibited weapons  Nuclear weapons · Disarmament – concept, law, Indian perspective · Breaches of International Humanitarian law – Role of International and National Criminal Courts

Unit V — Contemporary Issues related to Human Rights

1. Human Rights of Refugees · Definition, · Obligations of Refugees and State as per 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol · Role of UNHCR · Indian perspective · 2. Implications of development of science and technology on Human Rights: Climate change, Health, Bio – ethics, Development (Good Governance), Privacy, Information Technology, Right to Information, Cyber Crime, Terrorism, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, etc.