Human rights help us live safely and freely. Everyone has human rights. This includes people with disabilities, and people of every race, colour, gender, religion, income and culture.
In Australia, people who are gender-diverse or queer have the same rights as everyone else.
Human rights are for everyone.
In 1948, many countries made a list of basic human rights for all people. It was called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
You can read a simple version of these rights on the Youth for Human Rights website (external link).
The list now includes rights for groups that are treated unfairly because of who they are. This type of unfair treatment is called discrimination.
Many countries, including Australia, have agreed to respect universal human rights. These countries have promised to have laws that treat all people with respect and dignity.
Australia signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007.
It says that people with disabilities should:
Countries that sign the convention agree to identify and remove barriers so that people with disabilities can access:
You can find more information about disability rights on the Australian Human Rights Commission website (external link).
You can learn more about your rights in the WWDA Your Rights Easy Read guide (external link).
Ilya has an intellectual disability and lives in a group home. She doesn't like it there. It's noisy, and she feels unsafe. Ilya wants to move out of the home and rent an apartment with two friends. Ilya has a human right to choose where and with whom she lives. She has the right to talk to a disability advocate and get support in finding and renting a home. Ilya can apply to get support workers to come to her and help her with daily tasks like planning and cooking meals and paying bills.
It's common to need legal help for domestic and family violence. Yet, the legal system can be tricky to use. Gender-diverse people and people with disabilities may face more barriers than others. There is support. This part of the website talks about the Australian legal system. It discusses prisons and courts, child protection and protection orders. We hope you find information and ideas to keep yourself and others safe.
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