Revision Library

revisionlibrary.co.uk

GCSE · Thematic Studies

RS.TF1 Human Rights and Responsibilities

AQA 8062 · Calculators not allowed · about 55 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

This question checks key vocabulary used when discussing human rights.

(a)State what is meant by human rights.(1)

(b)State what is meant by a responsibility.(1)

(c)State what is meant by the Human Rights Act 1998.(1)

(d)State what is meant by human dignity.(1)

(e)State what is meant by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.(1)

(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)

Give three rights protected by the Human Rights Act 1998.

(Total for Question 2 is 3 marks)

Explain two religious teachings about human rights. Refer to a religion in your answer.

(Total for Question 3 is 4 marks)

Explain two contrasting views about whether human rights always come with responsibilities.

(Total for Question 4 is 5 marks)

This question is about human rights and responsibilities. It is the AQA-style 24-mark, five-part question.

(a)State what is meant by a qualified right.(1)

(b)Give two examples of qualified rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.(2)

(c)Explain two religious teachings about the responsibilities that come with human rights. Refer to a sacred text in your answer.(4)

(d)Explain two contrasting views about whether human rights should ever be restricted for the sake of responsibilities to society. Refer to a religious and a non-religious view in your answer.(5)

(e)Evaluate this statement: 'Human rights should never be restricted, even for the sake of responsibilities to others.' In your answer you should: refer to religious teaching, refer to different points of view, reach a justified conclusion.(12)

(Total for Question 5 is 24 marks)

Explain two ways a religious believer's faith might influence how they respond to human rights issues today.

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

Give three reasons why many religious believers support the protection of human rights.

(Total for Question 7 is 3 marks)

Mark scheme · RS.TF1 Human Rights and Responsibilities

Question 1

(a) B1 the basic freedoms and protections that belong to every person simply because they are human, oe
(a) Answer: The basic freedoms and protections that belong to every person simply because they are human.
(b) B1 a duty or obligation to act in a particular way, e.g. towards other people or the community, oe
(b) Answer: A duty or obligation to act in a particular way towards other people or the community.
(c) B1 the UK law that makes the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights enforceable in UK courts, oe
(c) Answer: The UK law that makes the rights in the European Convention on Human Rights enforceable in UK courts.
(d) B1 the inherent worth and value every person has, which should be respected regardless of their circumstances, oe
(d) Answer: The inherent worth and value every person has, which should be respected regardless of their circumstances.
(e) B1 a document adopted by the United Nations in 1948 setting out the basic rights and freedoms all human beings should have, oe
(e) Answer: A document adopted by the United Nations in 1948 setting out the basic rights and freedoms all human beings should have.

Question 2

B1 the right to life, oe
B1 freedom of thought, conscience and religion, oe
B1 freedom from torture or degrading treatment, oe (accept freedom of expression, right to a fair trial, right to respect for private and family life)
Answer: Any three: right to life; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom from torture or degrading treatment; freedom of expression; right to a fair trial; right to respect for private and family life.

Question 3

B1 point 1: Christians believe every person has inherent worth because they are made in the image of God, oe
B1 development: this is based on Genesis 1:27, 'So God created mankind in his own image ... male and female he created them', which teaches that human dignity, and so human rights, belong equally to everyone, oe
B1 point 2: Muslims believe all people are equally valued by Allah regardless of race, tribe or background, oe
B1 development: this is based on Qur'an 49:13, which teaches that Allah made people into different peoples and tribes so they would know one another, and that the most noble in Allah's sight is the most righteous, not the most powerful, oe
Answer: E.g. Christian teaching that humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27); Muslim teaching that all people are equally valued regardless of background (Qur'an 49:13).

Question 4

B1 view 1: rights and responsibilities are inherently linked, oe
B1 development: Article 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights itself states that everyone has duties to the community, and many religious believers add that freedoms such as freedom of speech carry a responsibility not to harm others, oe
B1 view 2: human rights are unconditional and do not depend on a person fulfilling their responsibilities first, oe
B1 development: under the Human Rights Act 1998, rights such as the right to a fair trial or freedom from torture apply to everyone, including those who have failed in their responsibilities (e.g. people in prison), so rights cannot be earned or lost through poor behaviour, oe
B1 reference to a specific right, article or teaching made accurately, oe
Answer: Contrast: rights and responsibilities are linked (UDHR Article 29) vs rights are unconditional and not dependent on fulfilling responsibilities (HRA 1998 protections for everyone, including prisoners).

Question 5

(a) B1 a right that can lawfully be restricted in certain circumstances, provided the restriction is proportionate and set out in law, oe
(a) Answer: A right that can lawfully be restricted in certain circumstances, provided the restriction is proportionate and set out in law.
(b) B1 freedom of expression (Article 10), oe
(b) B1 the right to respect for private and family life (Article 8), oe (accept freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Article 9, in respect of manifesting a religion)
(b) Answer: E.g. freedom of expression (Article 10); right to respect for private and family life (Article 8).
(c) B1 point 1: Christians believe that freedom and rights should be used to serve and support others, not just oneself, oe
(c) B1 development: Galatians 6:2 teaches 'Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ', which many Christians take to mean their freedoms come with a responsibility to help others, oe
(c) B1 point 2: Muslims believe fairness and justice must be upheld even towards people they personally dislike, oe
(c) B1 development: Qur'an 5:8 teaches believers to 'be persistently standing firm for Allah ... in justice' and not to let hatred of others prevent them from being just, showing that the right to hold an opinion carries a responsibility to remain fair, oe
(c) Answer: E.g. Christian teaching to carry one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2); Muslim teaching to remain just even towards those one dislikes (Qur'an 5:8).
(d) B1 view 1: rights can rightly be balanced against duties to the wider community, oe
(d) B1 development: this view, shared by many religious believers, points to UDHR Article 29 (everyone has duties to the community) and to real UK law, where qualified rights such as freedom of expression can be lawfully limited, e.g. by laws against incitement to violence, oe
(d) B1 view 2: certain fundamental rights must never be restricted, whatever the circumstances, oe
(d) B1 development: a strong civil-liberties view, held by organisations such as Humanists UK, holds that absolute rights (e.g. freedom from torture, Article 3) must apply unconditionally, since allowing any exception undermines the whole idea that rights are inherent to being human, oe
(d) B1 reference to a specific article, teaching or organisation made accurately, oe
(d) Answer: Contrast: rights can be balanced against duties to the community (UDHR Article 29, qualified rights) vs certain fundamental rights (e.g. Article 3, freedom from torture) must never be restricted under any circumstance.
(e) L4 (10-12): A well-argued, balanced answer that considers more than one point of view in a developed way, using accurate and detailed references to religious teaching to support each point, and reaches a clear, justified conclusion.
(e) L3 (7-9): A clear and reasoned answer that considers more than one point of view, supported by relevant references to religious teaching, though the justification of the conclusion may be less developed.
(e) L2 (4-6): A reasoned answer that considers at least one point of view, with some relevant supporting evidence, but with limited or no consideration of an alternative view.
(e) L1 (1-3): One or more relevant points are made, but with little or no supporting evidence and no reasoned conclusion.
(e) L0 (0): No relevant content.
(e) Indicative content:
- Agree: some fundamental rights, such as the right to be free from torture (Article 3), are absolute under the Human Rights Act 1998 and can never lawfully be restricted, no matter how serious the circumstances, including a national emergency.
- Agree: many religious believers argue that human dignity, being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) or equally valued by Allah (Qur'an 49:13), is not conditional on good behaviour, so protection of core rights should never depend on a person first meeting responsibilities.
- Agree: Humanists UK and other civil-liberties voices argue that allowing exceptions to fundamental rights, even for good reasons, sets a dangerous precedent that governments could later misuse to justify wider restrictions.
- Disagree: most rights protected in UK law, such as freedom of expression (Article 10) and the right to private and family life (Article 8), are deliberately qualified, not absolute, and can be lawfully restricted where necessary and proportionate, e.g. to protect public safety or other people's rights.
- Disagree: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 29, explicitly states that everyone has duties to the community, showing that even the founding human rights document links rights to responsibilities rather than treating them as entirely unconditional.
- Disagree: many religious traditions teach that freedom should be used responsibly for the good of others, e.g. Galatians 6:2's call to 'carry each other's burdens', suggesting rights are meant to be exercised alongside duties rather than in isolation from them.
- A balanced answer might distinguish between the small number of genuinely absolute rights (which should indeed never be restricted) and the much larger set of qualified rights (where lawful, proportionate limits for the sake of others are widely accepted, including by many religious believers).
- A balanced conclusion might note that this remains a live debate in UK law and politics, with reasonable disagreement about exactly where the line between an acceptable restriction and an unacceptable one should be drawn.

Question 6

B1 point 1: a believer might support or volunteer for a charity or organisation that campaigns for human rights, oe
B1 development: e.g. supporting a charity that helps refugees, works against modern slavery, or campaigns for religious freedom abroad, seeing this as an expression of their faith's teaching on human dignity, oe
B1 point 2: a believer might speak out or vote in ways that reflect their faith's teaching on justice and human dignity, oe
B1 development: e.g. writing to an MP about a human rights issue, or taking part in a peaceful protest, seeing this as a responsible use of their own right to freedom of expression, oe
Answer: E.g. supporting a human rights charity as an expression of faith; speaking out or campaigning on a human rights issue as a responsible use of freedom of expression.

Question 7

B1 belief that all humans are made in the image of God, or are equally valued by Allah, and so have inherent worth, oe
B1 teaching to love one's neighbour, or to treat others with justice and fairness, oe
B1 teaching to care for and speak up for people who are vulnerable or treated unfairly, oe
Answer: Any three: humans are made in the image of God/equally valued by Allah; teaching to love one's neighbour; justice/fairness teaching; a duty to care for and speak up for the vulnerable.

Human Rights and Responsibilities - Worksheets, Questions and Revision