UDHR(Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Definition of UDHR(Universal Declaration of Human rights)

The Universal Declaration of Human Right reflects the fundamental beliefs shared by countries around the world regarding human rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot, Paris.

Palais de Chaillot, Paris.

Historical Background of UDHR

The UDHR was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on December 1948 as a result of the experience of the Second World War, the end of the war brings about the creation of the United Nations, the international community vowed never again to allow atrocities like those of that conflict happens again.

The  commission on human rights was made up of 18 members from various political, cultural, and religious backgrounds. It was chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with her were Rene Cassin of France, who composed the first draft of the declaration, the committee Rapporteur Charles Malik of Lebanon, Vice-chairman Peng Chung Change of China and John Humphrey of Canada, director of the UN’S Human Right Division, who prepared the declaration’s blueprint. However, Mrs. Roosevelt was recognized as the driving force for the declaration’s adoption.

Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Importance of Universal Declaration of Human rights

1. The recognition and declaration of human rights is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.

2. It is the last resort and a rebellion against tyranny and oppression.

3. It promotes friendly relations between nations of the world.

4. It promotes social progress and a better standard of living.

5. It brought about the promotion of universal respect and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

6. It acts as a guideline for the human king in determining what is right and what is wrong.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Vocabulary words

•Universal: describe something for everything or everyone.

•Declaration: A formal of explicit statement or announcement

•Human Rights: basic rights and freedoms that belong to all of us, from birth until death.

Factors that lead to the success of responsible parenthood

Importance of Responsible Parenthood

1. It brings about responsible citizenry: when a responsible parent trains up a child, such a child will most likely turn out to be a responsible citizen.

2. It leads to a reduction in crime rate: Children from good homes who are trained by responsible parents know that crime does not pay.

3. It makes a nation to be healthy: A nation that is crime-free will enjoy peace and progress.

4. The people of such a country will be emotionally balanced. People who are emotionally balanced, will think well and produce a good product.

5. The nation will excel among other nations when children are properly brought up by responsible parents and they yield to the training they will definitely bring glory to such a nation.

6. It will enable the children to know their rights in society.

7. It enhances cooperation and communal efforts, which help in national development.

The Family

Constraints of Good Parenthood

•FINANCIAL STRAIN

   Family-work conflict (not enough time to meet both child-rearing and job responsibilities)

   Interference with mother’s employment opportunities and career progression.

   Worries over children’s health, safety, and well-being.

   Risks of bringing up children in a world plagued by crime, war, and pollution.

   Reduced time to spend with husband or wife.

•LOSS OF PRIVACY

    Fear that children will turn out badly, through no fault of one’s own Disadvantages first of all the advantages of having a child are greatly important to adult development.

    These are normal biological and social feelings that only a child can truly satisfy: however, parents still need to carefully consider the disadvantages as well.

Another problem that they fear is bringing a child into such a troubled world, which will greatly affect the child’s development and happiness.

Development of Political Parties in Nigeria II

Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) Organizational Structure

The Nigerian peoples party (NPP) was one of the major political parties that contested elections in the Nigerian Second Republic.

The party was made up of three major groups: the Lagos Progressives, Club 19, and the Nigeria Council of Understanding.

The Lagos progressives included some Lagos based NCNC politicians such as Adeniran Ogunsanya, T.O.S. Benson and Kola Balogun. The National Council of Understanding was led by Waziri while Club 19 had Matthew Mbu, Solomon Lar, Omo Omoruyi, Paul Unongo, Antonio Fernandez and others as members.

NPP Presidential Candidate (Nnamdi Azikiwe) and others.

Objectives of The Nigerian Peoples Party

1. To promote unity in Nigeria and protect her territorial integrity

2. To work for the integration and equality of the peoples of Nigeria.

3. To provide free and high-quality education at all levels.

4. To work to full employment.

Performance of Nigerian Peoples Party

Before the 1979 elections, the party took some political hits, about 254 of its candidates were disqualified from contesting electoral seats, the second-most out of the five major parties.

Nevertheless, the party won about 17% of the House of Representative seats and three gubernatorial elections.

The Great Nigeria People’s Party was one of the six major political parties that fielded candidates for elections in the Second Republic. The party was formed by a splinter group from the Nigerian People’s Party, the group was led by Waziri Ibrahim, a politician, and businessman from Borno.

Waziri was one of the leaders of the three associations that formed the nucleus of NPP.

Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Organizational Structure

The  People’s Redemption Party was a political party in Nigeria. The Second Republic incarnation of the Northern Elements Progressive Union and the Fourth Republic incarnation of a similar namesake, the party was created by the supporters of Mallam Animu Kano after his withdrawal from the National Party of Nigeria. The PRP was highly regarded as a progressive left of the center political party.

Some where know members of the party included Governors Abubakar Rimi, Balarabe Musa, Dr. Edward Ikem Okeke, Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila and Chinua Achebe- who served briefly as Deputy National President in the early 1980s.

The original party was banned following the Military Coup of 1984 led by General Buhari. In the Fourth Republic, the party with the same name resurfaced under the leadership of Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa; it could however not gather the same level of support as its Second Republican namesake.

National President of PRP (Aminu Kano)

Objective of PRP

The main objective of this party was to ensure that Nigeria gained freedom in every capacity as well as foster unity among Nigerians.

PERFORMANCE OF PRP

Upon formation of the PRP, an invitation was extended to Aminu Kano and other prominent leftists, and he was soon elected as the party’s national president.

In 1979 the party was able to capture 2 out of 12 states and came third in the national elections.

Aminu Kano, died in April 1983, just before that year’s presidential election. Khalifa Hassan Yusuf succeeded him as party leader and presidential candidate.

National Consciousness and Identity.

Meaning of National Consciousness

National consciousness is a shared sense of national identity; that is, a shared understanding that a group of people share a common ethnic/linguistic/ cultural background.

National consciousness refers to an active and emotional awareness of what is happening to one’s nation and how this affects one and the people around.

National consciousness can also be defined as a set of opinions, feelings, and beliefs shared by citizens of the same nation.

National consciousness, at a glance, is one’s level of awareness, of the collective, and one understanding that without ‘’them’’ there is no ‘’us’’.

Map of Nigeria

Features of National Consciousness

1.Progress in the field of printing and the innovation of vernacular languages.

2.The bond between national identity and culture.

3.Analogous symbols and ritual.

National Flag of Nigeria

Meaning of National Identity

This is one’s identity or sense of belonging to a state or nation.  National identity may refer to the subjective feeling one share with a group of people about a nation; regardless of one’s legal citizenship status.

The expression of one’s national identity seen in a positive light is patriotism which is characterized by national pride and positive emotion of love for one’s country.  The extreme expression of national identity is chauvinism, which refers to the firm belief in the country’s superiority and extreme loyalty toward one’s country.

Ethnic Groups in Nigeria

Features of National Identity

1.Progress in the field of printing and the innovation of vernacular languages.

2.The bond between national identity and culture.

3.Analogous symbols and ritual.

Election and voters’ responsibilities.

Concept of Election

Election is simply defined as the process by which people are voted into power. It is the way of voting people to occupy  political offices in order to serve the community or society for a particular period of time.

Election is the process by which people select or elect a candidate into an official position. It is usually carried out in a democratic system of government. Elections are done through voting and conducted at definite intervals as spelt out in the constitution of the nation.

The Citizens Participating in Electoral Process 

Concept of Voting and Voters

Voting is a method for a group, such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion, usually following discussions, debates or election campaigns.

Residents of a place represented by an elected official are called ‘’constituents’’, and those constituents who cast a ballot for their chosen candidate are called ‘’voters’’

Political Parties logos

The electorates performing their civic duties. 

Electoral bodies in Nigeria

Electoral bodies in Nigeria

In Nigeria, there is an electoral body which conducts elections and supervises all electioneering process. The body is called Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The body conducts elections into federal and state electoral constituencies. At the state level, usually for the conduct of local government elections, the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) is in charge.

INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu

Composition of Electoral bodies in Nigeria

At both the state and federal levels, there are chairpersons, supported by their various electoral commissioners. Rather than moving across all the state capitals during elections, the commissioners represent the interest of the chairperson there. He or she will supervise elections and declare results. This type of arrangement also applies at the state level where there are resident electoral commissioners for local government areas.

The officers at the local government also report to state commissioner just as the states report to the federal chairperson.

Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission(LASIEC) Justice Ayotunde Phillips

Roles of the Electoral bodies in Nigeria

•Voters’ registration

•Keeping custody of voters’ register

•Printing of ballot papers

•Supervision of elections

•Declaring election results

THE PRESS- The Activities of the Press in Ensuring Democracy.

The Activities of the Press in Ensuring Democracy

The press are journalists and photographers work for newspapers and magazines (media organizations). They are responsible for gathering information about current and past events that are of importance.

The press is used to describe both reporters and news outlets or media.  It is generally referred to as print media like newspapers and magazines. ‘’Media’’ is a boarder term that includes TV, radio, the internet, etc.

Modern democracy requires a well-informed citizenry to which the press (media) plays an important role in the process of keeping people informed by providing information, commentary, and opinion.

PRESS MEN AND WOMEN

PRESS MEN AND WOMEN AT DISASTER SITE

Freedom of The Press

Freedom of the press is the right to publish a newspaper, magazine and other printed matter without  governmental restriction and subject only to the laws of libel, obscenity, sedition, etc.

REASONS FOR THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

1. A free press ensures that all news points are expressed, even when it affects those with lots of powers.

2. It ensures that the government represents its people.

3. The press should be free so that free and informed voting public can hear and critically assess competing ideas.

4. People want the freedom of the press so that they can say what is happening in their country and in some cases voice their opinion on it.

5. It ensures the right of an individual to self-fulfillment.

6. It is needed so that the government may not control access to information and persuade voters on how to vote.

HOW TO ENSURE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

1.By ensuring that all news is published from an accredited source.

2. The press should be able to respond to any request of information before it’s taken.

3. There should be judicial oversight when anything is requested. That is, there should be checks and balances in the judicial department.

4.A federal shield law that protected journalists should be implemented.

5. A formal rule should be made of guideline that the Department of Justice will not prosecute any journalist for being a journalist.