Woven Teaching believes that human rights education is essential for students to understand and assert their own rights and to protect the rights of others. As a result, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) lies at the core of Woven Teaching’s materials. The document’s 30 articles outline fundamental human rights: basic rights and freedoms which every human being is entitled to, regardless of the person’s race, religion, birthplace, gender, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. Although its articles are not legally binding, the UDHR serves as the moral compass for the international community.

Article 25 of the UDHR outlines the right to an adequate standard of living. A lesson about Article 25 has many applications in the classroom. For example, it could be added to units about:

• The Great Depression & the New Deal
• Immigration to the U.S. (19th and 20th century) & tenement living conditions
• Current events – Homelessness, (universal) healthcare, etc.

Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not legally binding, the rights described in its articles can be found in international covenants and treaties which are legally binding. The right to an adequate standard of living can be found in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1966. The United States is a Signatory to the ICESCR, but has not ratified the Covenant. As a result, it is under no obligation to abide by its articles.

Adequate Standard of Living (25 Minutes)

Students will consider the standard of living in their community.

1. As students enter the room, ask them to briefly write down a few things that make life comfortable. Remind students to be specific. Provide a few examples, such as “having enough food to eat” or “time to watch TV or play video games”.
 
2. Write “standard of living” on the board. Ask students to write a definition of this phrase as well as a few examples of what a standard of living might include. After students have had a few minutes to write, ask a few to share their thoughts, as well as a reflection on what “standard of living” means. Share the following definition:
   Standard of living is the level of necessities, wealth, comfort, and material goods in a given society or socioeconomic class. To have an adequate standard of living, a person must have access to food and water, clothing, housing, sanitation, and healthcare.
 
3. Explain that an adequate standard of living is a basic human right, as laid out in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ask for a volunteer to read Article 25 of the UDHR:
1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of [themself] and of [their] family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services (government programs that include medical care, housing assistance, and education), and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.


2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock [the state of being married], shall enjoy the same social protection.
4. Working in pairs, ask students to go over the lists of examples of an adequate standard of living they drafted at the beginning of class. Discuss the following questions:
• Which of their ideas do they think would be included under “adequate standard of living”? Which of their examples are nice to have, but not necessary?
• Based on what they have seen and experienced, do all people in their community have an adequate standard of living? If no, why not? What are some specific challenges to an adequate standard of living for everyone?
  (Local, state or national legislation, lack of funding and resources, environmental racism, prejudice, and discrimination, etc.)
• After 10 minutes, bring the class together and debrief. Ask students to share their answers to both questions.

Community Resources (30 Minutes)

Students will work in small groups to research services in their area that help people obtain an adequate standard of living.

1. Preparation: Make a copy of the Community Resource Collection Form
 
2. Divide students into small groups and number the groups. Explain that the class will be creating a list of resources to distribute at school, so that all students know where they and their families can go if they need assistance.
 
3. Ask each group to choose one of the categories that make up the elements of an adequate standard of living. See chart for categories and examples of specific programs.
 
4. Share the link to your copy of the Community Resource Collection Form. Instruct students to conduct research on services and organizations in their localities (neighborhood, city, county) that help people in this area.
   

   For example, if the group chooses food: Are there food banks in the area? What programs does the school, city, or county have to help people obtain healthy food? What grocery stores are located in the neighborhood?

5. For each service/organization they find, groups should complete the Community Resource Collection Form to share what they’ve discovered.
 
6. After 25 minutes, bring the class together to quickly debrief. Did students learn about any services/organizations that they were not previously aware of?
 
7. Educator (or student volunteers) create a Google Document or webpage to share the list of resources and make it accessible to students at the school.

Closing (5 Minutes)

​​Participants will reflect on actions that they can take in their community to protect the rights enshrined in Article 25.

Provide each participant with an “exit card” and ask them to answer at least two of the following questions. Remind them to be specific:

• What is one thing that you learned today?
• What is one action that you can take today to promote these rights in your community?
• What are some of the challenges you might face in promoting these rights?
• How can you look to each other or others in your community for support?