THIRUVALLUVAR UNIVERSITY
HUMAN RIGHTS
(For all PG Degree Courses)
Course Objectives
1. Human Rights are the rights of all Human Beings. They have universal application. Awareness
about Human Rights and concern for its protection has become an important issue after the
second world war and paved way for world Nations to come together for acceptance of
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2. The role of UN in protecting and promoting awareness of Human Rights is highly significant.
The binding nature of the International Conventions and Covenants are still a dilemma. The
persuasive force in case of violation of human rights by International community is an area of
concern. In the absence of National legislations enforcement of these rights remain as one
farce.
3. To trace the development of regional instruments drafted aiming at protection of Human Rights
and its enforceability.
4. The Indian perspective of protection of Human Rights vide its Legislations , the Constitution of
India more read by its language, the Fundamental rights, Duties and Directive Principles of the
State Policy has been elicited. The response shown by Indian judiciary and the expression of
judicial activism is highlighted. The development of Human Rights jurisprudence in India is
traced.
5. The Special legislations and the enforcement machineries remain as a watch dog in the due
enforcement of Human Rights in India. The duty to protect human right of all individuals more
particularly those are vulnerable remains more as a National obligation. The course intents to
evaluate the Redressal mechanisms practiced in India.
COURSE CONTENTS
UNIT-1:
Human rights- Concepts & Nature
Human Rights: Meaning, Definition, Nature, Content- Legitimacy of Human Rights- Origin and
Development of Human Rights- Theories – Principles of Magna Carta – Modern Movements of
Human Rights – The Future of Human Rights.
UNIT-2:
Human Rights – The International Perspective
International human rights – Human Right concepts Prior and after World War II – UNO – Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR) – International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)- Optional
Protocols- Human Right Declarations – Role of United Nation Commissions – Convention on the
Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW) – United Nations Convention
against Torture (UNCAT) - United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC or UNCRC)
- Conventions on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Disabled.
UNIT-3:
Regional Human Rights
European Human Rights System- African Human Rights System – International Human Rights –
Enforceability before Domestic Courts.
UNIT-4:
Human Rights in India
The Constitution of India – Fundamental Rights – Right to Life and Liberty – Directive Principles of
State Policy – Fundamental Duties – Individual and Group Rights – Other facets of Human Rights –
Measures for Protection of Human Rights in India.
UNIT-5:
Human Right Violations and Redressal Mechanism
Human Rights – Infringement of Human Right by State Machinery and by Individual – Remedies
for State action and inaction – Constitutional remedies – Public Interest Litigation (PIL) - Protection
of Human Rights Act, 1993 – National Human Rights Commission – State Human Rights
Commissions – Constitution of Human Right Courts
Text Books
Unit-1
Human Rights Lalit Parmar, Anmol Publications Pvt. Limited, 1998
Human Rights In International Relations, David P. Forsythe, Cambridge University Press
Unit-2
Alston, Philip, And Frederic Megret, Eds. The United Nations And Human Rights: A Critical
Appraisal. Second Edition. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Bassiouni, M. Cherif, And William A. Schabas, Eds. New Challenges For The UN Human
Rights Machinery: What Future For The UN Treaty Body System And The Human Rights
Council Procedures? Intersentia, 2011.
Kruckenberg, Lena J. The Unreal World Of Human Rights: An Ethnography Of The UN
Committee On The Elimination Of Racial Discrimination. Nomos Publishers, 2012.
Unit-3
Rebecce Wallace, International Human Rights, Text And Materials 1997
European Convention On Human Rights: Texts And Documents (Herbert Miehsler &
Herbert Petzold Eds., 1982)
A.H. Robertson & J.G. Merrils, Human Rights In Europe: A Study Of The European
Convention On Human Rights, 386-413 (3d Ed. 1993)
International Human Rights Law And Practice ,Francisco Forrest Martin (1997)
R.K S Inha, Human Rights Of The World (1997)
African Commission On Human Rights And Peoples Rights Evelyn A Ankumah, (1996)
The Constitution of India
Unit-4
Human Rights Bharatiya Values, Mandagadde Rama Jois, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2015
B P Singh Seghal , Human Rights in India 1996
Unit-5
Paras Diwan and Piyush Diwan Women and Legal Protection
Philip Alston Children Rights and the Law
G S Bhargave and R M Pal Human Rights of Dalit Societal Violation 1999
Geralden Van Bueren International Law and The Rights of the Child 1998
P C Tirpathi Crime Against Working Women
Reference Items: books, Journal
Protection Of Human Rights Act, 1993.
Constitutional Law of India (3 Volumes) by Seervai H.M 2015
The Human Rights Watch Global Report On Women’s Human Rights 2000 Oxford
Publication
RS Sharma Perspectives In Human Rights Development
Julies Stone Human Law And Human Justice 2000 Universal Publication
Research Handbook On International Human Rights Law, Edited By Sarah Joseph &
Edited By Sarah Joseph, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited USA
Course Out Comes
1. After studying unit-1, the student will be able to know the nature of human rights its origin ,
the theories, the movements in the march of human rights and the facets of future of human
rights.
2. After studying unit-2, the student will be able to know the international dimension of human
rights, the role of UN and the global effort in formulating conventions and declarations
3. After studying unit-3, the student will be able to Perceive the regional developments of
human rights in Europe , Africa and Asia and the enforceable value of human rights in
international arena.
4. After studying unit-4, the student will be able to have knowledge on the human rights
perspectives in India, more developed by its constitution and special legislations
5. After studying unit-5, the student will be able to know the redressal mechanism made
available in case of human rights violation confined to India.
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