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Know your rights

  • Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that allow us to live decent lives.
  • Rights define what you are allowed to be, do, and have.
  • No one can take away your rights.

In Australia, people who are gender-diverse or queer have the same rights as everyone else.

Human rights are for everyone.

You can watch a video on human rights from UN Human Rights (external link).

The history of human rights

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.

 

Disability and human rights

Australia signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007.

It says that people with disabilities should:

  • Be able to live independently
  • Be included in the community
  • Choose where and who to live with
  • Have access to community, residential and in-home support services.

Countries that sign the convention agree to identify and remove barriers so that people with disabilities can access:

  • The environment
  • Transport
  • Public places and services
  • Information
  • Technology like phones and the internet.

You can find more information about disability rights on the Australian Human Rights Commission website (external link).

Our human rights include:

  • The right to be free and equal. We are all born free. We all have our thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.
  • The right to be free from all forms of violence and abuse. We all have the right to a life without violence. Nobody has any right to hurt us in any way.
  • The right to be treated equally in law. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all fairly.
  • The right to privacy. Nobody can come into our home, open our letters, or bother us or our family without a good reason.
  • The right to family. We all have the right to have a partner, or to marry and have a family if we want to.
  • The right to food and shelter. We all have the right to the basic needs of life, like food, warmth, safe drinking water and a home.
  • The right to health. We all have the right to make decisions about our health. We should be able to get health care and medicine when we need it.
  • The right to work and education. We all have the right to go to school, get an education, have a job and be paid fairly for our work.
  • The right to participate in politics. We all have the right to vote in elections and hold political views.
  • The right to government support. We all have the right to receive government money to live on if we cannot work or are sick, studying, or caring for another person.

You can learn more about your rights in the WWDA Your Rights Easy Read guide (external link).

1800 RESPECT

If you experience violence or abuse you can contact 1800 RESPECT for support and counselling.
Call 1800 737 732 or go to the 1800 RESPECT website to chat with someone online (external link).

‍To contact 1800RESPECT via SMS, text ‘HELLO’ or any greeting to 0458 737 732 to start the conversation.

Story

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.

Understanding the justice system

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.

Find out more

Speaking up for the person I support

Advocating for a person with a disability means looking out for their needs, rights and interests. It involves speaking up, solving problems and supporting helpful actions. It's about promoting their independence as much as you can. Here, we explain how to be an effective advocate.

Find out more

Resources.

May 13, 2024

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Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence

You have rights - Easy Read

A guide for women with disability experiencing family and domestic violence.

Check resource

May 13, 2024

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Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence

Your rights

A guide for women with disability and mothers of children with disability who have experience of family and domestic violence.

Check resource

May 13, 2024

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SECCA

Online dating

Information about online dating.

Check resource

May 4, 2024

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1800 RESPECT

Escape bag checklist

If you are going to leave a relationship, deciding what to take with you is an important step in creating a safety plan. This checklist helps you plan what you may need to take if you need to leave.

Check resource

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What are human rights?

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.

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