Where do you stand?

Statements

• Having a house, food and basic necessities is more important than being able to say what you want.  
• People have a duty to work, but not a right.  
• The most fundamental responsibility of any government is to ensure that all citizens have enough to eat.  
• The right to "rest and leisure" is a luxury that only rich people can afford.  
• It is not the government's job to ensure that people do not starve - but the people's own!  
• How we treat our workers is not a matter for the international community.  
• Poor countries should focus on a basic standard of living for all before worrying about the civil and political rights of their citizens.  
• Extreme economic inequality is a violation of fundamental rights.  
• Social and economic rights are an ideal for the future, but the world is not ready to guarantee them today.  
• If rights cannot be guaranteed, there is no point in having them.  
• Some rights are more important than others.  
• Some people naturally have more rights than others.  
• Some people are homeless because they want to be.  
• Rich people are happier than poor people.  
• It is impossible to eradicate poverty completely.  
• We are not born with rights, we are given them.

Debriefing and evaluation questions

• Were there questions that people could not answer - either because it was difficult to form their own opinion or because the question was poorly formulated?
• Why did people change positions during the discussions?
• Were people surprised by the level of disagreement on the issues?
• Does it matter that we disagree on human rights?
• Do you think there are "right" and "wrong" answers to the different statements, or is it just a matter of personal opinion?
• Would it ever be possible for everyone to agree on human rights?
• Do we need more rights?

Tips for facilitators

• Give the players time to set up and think about their position. Give enough time for discussion between the different statements.

This game is part of the 'All Children, All Right(s)!' toolkit, which focuses on promoting the right to participation.