Civil and Political Rights

• Lecture 3 focuses on civil and political rights

Right to Life, Liberty, and Security

• The right to life is considered a fundamental human right that prohibits arbitrary killings
• The right to liberty ensures individuals are not detained or imprisoned without appropriate cause
• The right to security protects individuals from suffering physical harm, torture or mistreatment by state authorities
• The Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989, where the Chinese government repressed protests with violence, is an example of civil and political rights violations

Freedom of Speech, Assembly, and Association

• Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democratic societies by allowing individuals to express opinions openly
• Freedom of assembly and freedom of association enable people to gather, protest, and organize towards common goals
• The Civil Rights Movement in the United States (1950s-1960s) is an example where media played a key role in spreading awareness of racial discrimination and advocating for civil rights

Right to a Fair Trial

• The right to a fair trial is vital for ensuring justice through impartial courts, legal defence options and timely proceedings
• This right also protects people with a prohibition of cruel or unusual punishment
• The Nuremberg Trials after World War II, where Nazi war criminals were prosecuted, set precedents for international justice

Right to Privacy

• The right to privacy protects individuals from unwarranted surveillance and intrusion from governments, corporations, and other entities protecting personal data and communications
• Edward Snowden's revelations about NSA surveillance highlighted privacy rights concerns in the digital age

Media's Role in Civil and Political Rights

• Media is crucial for upholding civil and political rights, providing platforms for dissent and activism

• Coverage of events, protests, and elections allows public voices to be heard and hold governments accountable

• The Black Lives Matter Movement gained recognition through social media and news, which covered police violence protests in the U.S.

• Lecture 4 focuses on economic, social, and cultural rights

Right to Work and Fair Wages

• Right to work ensures individuals have employment opportunities without discrimination
• A fair wage ensures workers receive compensation that supports decent living standards
• The Fair Trade Movement promotes fair wages for workers in developing countries

Right to Education

• Education is a fundamental right that empowers individuals and enables personal and social development
• Universal access to education is essential for economic and social progress
• Malala Yousafzai advocates for girls' education and brought attention to the denial of education for girls in Pakistan and other regions

Right to Health and Adequate Standard of Living

• Healthcare access ensures access to necessary services to maintain a healthy life; including access to clean water, sanitation, nutrition, and housing
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities in healthcare access exposing essential services accessible to all

Right to Participate in Cultural Life

• Cultural participation is vital for individual expression and community identity which also include arts and cultural heritage for intellectual pursuits.
• Indigenous rights to protect cultural practices and land have gained coverage in media for land disputes, like the Dakota Access Pipeline protest

Role of Media in Promoting Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

• Media can bring attention to income inequality, educational disparities, and healthcare access and reports challenge injustice
• Documentaries such as ‘13th’ analyse race, criminal justice, and economic inequality demonstrating media influence

International Human Rights Framework

• International human rights law includes principles and legal standards promoting and protecting human dignity and equality
• It depends on international treaties, agreements, and declarations that establish individual rights and state responsibilities
• These encompass civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights

Key International Human Rights Instruments

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the UN in 1948, is the foundational document for international human rights law
• The UDHR covers a wide range of rights for all people, regardless of background to ensure freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and the right to education
• While not legally binding, it offers a framework for global human rights
• In Egypt, the UDHR influenced legal systems, especially after the 2011 revolution, when greater human rights protections were demanded

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

• The ICCPR, adopted in 1966, focuses on civil and political rights, like the right to life, freedom of speech, and political participation
• This treaty is legally binding for ratifying countries
• Egypt is signatory to ICCPR, but is criticised for violations that include arbitrary detention, freedom of expression, and the suppression of political opposition
• After the 2013 coup, Egypt received criticism from international human rights organizations for the crackdown on political dissent

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

• CEDAW, adopted by the UN in 1979, is an international treaty aimed at removing discrimination against women on education, equal pay, and political participation
• Egypt ratified CEDAW in 1981, but women's rights activists believes progress has been slow
• Gender-based violence in Egypt is a significant challenge but the Egyptian government has faced criticism for not addressing those issues, despite ratifying CEDAW

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

• The CRC was adopted in 1989, and is the most widely ratified human rights treaty. setting out civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children.
• Egypt ratified the CRC in 1990 and improved child labor/education, but child marriage and a lack of healthcare access remain large challenges
• Child marriage is prominent in Egypt but is common practice in rural areas and contradicts Egypt's obligations under the CRC

Challenges of Implementing International Human Rights Law

• Challenges exist with the implementation of international human rights treaties domestically which can include political instability, weak legal institutions, and entrenched power structures
• Egypt's legal framework surrounding human rights is tested with emergency laws restrictions on freedom of expression that contradict international human rights treaties
• International human rights organizations continue to push for better protection of human rights in Egypt

Conclusion

• International human rights frameworks, the UDHR, ICCPR, and CEDAW, give guidelines for human rights globally
• Challenges when enforcing frameworks remain, where social realities hinder full implementation of human rights principles in countries like Egypt
• Strengthening international efforts is crucial to ensure individuals have protection of their rights

Human Rights and Communication

• Rights in communication, knowledge, and media ensure freedom of expression, access to information, and responsible journalism
• In Egypt, these rights are reflected in various laws, awareness campaigns, and media programs

Right to Freedom of Expression and Access to Information

• Right to freedom of expression allows individuals expression without fear of censorship
• It ensures information in the media gives citizens reliable news and essential knowledge for informed decision-making
• "Al-Hekaya," program hosted by Amr Adib provides discussions that highlights diverse opinions and economic issues
• Egyptian news networks like CBC, ON TV, and Al-Qahera News investigate and report on issues regarding public transparency
• The Egyptian government launched the "Egypt 2030 Vision" to promote digital transformation and improved online information access for citizens

Right to MediDefinition

• MediDefinition enables critical evaluation and creation of media content allowing people to differentiate between information and fake news

Anti-Misinformation Campaigns

• The Egyptian Media Syndicate initiated COVID-19 combat programs that would prevent the spread of and reduce fake news
• Ministry of Information gives reliable fact-checking reports in order to counter misleading narratives on social media

Educational Programs:

• TV shows, for instance; "Sabahak Masri" (Your Egyptian Morning) discusses how Egyptian morning news outlets can be trusted and free of misinformation
• Al-Azhar TV promotes media manipulation with educational knowledge campaigns and promotes literacy

Right to Digital Access and Online Freedom

• Every citizen has right to use free digital platforms to access educational resources
• Egypt's Ministry of Communication ensured Internet projects and Egypt's Knowledge bank provides digital educational resources
• Social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook have helped public awareness campaigns for anti-bullying initiatives for the National Council for women's rights (NCW)

Right to Responsible Journalism and Protection of Journalists

• Journalists now have freedom of speech with no fear of harassment for independent ethical journalism
• The Egyptian Journalists' Syndicate promotes reporters' rights. The Egyptian constitution guarantees' media independence challenges remain

Investigative Journalism

• Programs like "Al-Ashera Masaan" (10 PM) help with corruption cases and to hold authorities accountable

Impact of Digital Media on Human Rights

• Social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are used to share awareness of human rights violations of advocates.
• The digital media in the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011 fueled protests that caught international attention to Egypt, Tunisia and Libya

Digital Surveillance and Privacy

• Governments and companies use digital surveillance which violates privacy
• The PRISM program caught media outrage due to the Snowden case for conducting surveillance raising concerns of privacy.

Misinformation and Hate Speech

• There has been a call for regulations from social media companies and digital campaigns combating violence for spreading misinformation and hate speech online