Human rights are international laws that protect our dignity, identities, and standard of living.
They are about:
- being treated fairly
- treating others fairly
- making real choices in our daily lives.
We all have the same rights, no matter where we come from, what we look like or what we believe.
Sadly, people with an intellectual disability are often denied their rights in many areas of their lives.
Inclusion Australia stands up for human rights in everything we do.
Here you will find our information about our advocacy and our projects to stand up for the rights of people with intellectual disability.
The Convention on the Rights of People with Disability
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) protects and promotes the rights of all people with disability.
It was developed with people with disabilities from all around the world.
Read about the UN CRPD in Easy Read.
Our policy team have been thinking about the UNCRPD and what it means for people with an intellectual disability. Read their report here.
The CRPD in Australia
Australia signed the CRPD in 2008. This means that Australian governments and laws must follow the CRPD.
Australia has done a lot to make the CRPD real for people with disability, like
- The National Disability Strategy in 2010
- The National Disability Insurance Scheme in 2011
- The national review of guardianship laws in 2014
Australia already has laws that protect the human rights of people with disability. Disability and advocacy organisations and the Disability Royal Commission all say we must work harder to protect the human rights of people with disability.
Read the 2019 Shadow Report to the United Nations by disability and advocacy organisations.
Disability Royal Commission
People with intellectual disabilities face a higher risk of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Many systems set up to protect people with intellectual disabilities have also failed and are unsafe. These are all different ways that people are being denied their human rights.
The Disability Royal Commission has been set up to investigate violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability.
Learn about our work with the Disability Royal Commission.
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
The NDIS Commission works to promote and protect the rights of people with disability in NDIS services.
The NDIS Commission:
- makes sure NDIS services follow the rules about keeping people safe
- investigates complaints and serious incidents in NDIS services
- registers and regulates NDIS service providers
- educates NDIS services and participants about quality and safety.
To learn more about the NDIS Commission, go to https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/
Your Service, Your Rights project
People with disability have the right to good quality disability services.
The Your Service, Your Rights project is about helping people with intellectual disability understand their rights when receiving services.
The project is funded by the NDIS Commission to develop and deliver training across Australia to support people with intellectual disability from different backgrounds.
Learn more about the Your Service, Your Rights project.
A Service for One project
People with disability have the right to choose where and with whom they live with.
But people with complex behaviour support needs often have limited options for housing and support.
In 2020, we worked with VALID, the NDIS Commission and families of people with complex behaviour support needs to develop resources for people and families running their own services.
For access to these resources go to www.servicesforone.org.au
Criminal Justice
Urgent reform is needed to make sure people with intellectual disability can access their human rights in the criminal justice system. This includes:
- Not criminalising behaviours associated with intellectual disability
- Providing access to support to stay out of the criminal justice system
- Providing more and more appropriate support within the criminal justice system.
In June 2021, we made a submission to the Disability Royal Commission about what Australian governments need to help people with intellectual disability access their rights in the Justice System.
Our NSW member, CID, also fought for and won the Justice Matters campaign to provide specialist support for people with intellectual disability in the police and the courts in NSW.
Resources from our members
NSW Council for Intellectual Disability
CID have a range of Easy Read resources, including
- Information about human rights
- Information about the CRPD
- The Your Service, Your Rights cards
- Stories about human rights
Developmental Disability Western Australia
DDWA provide advocacy support and resources for people with developmental disability and their families who come in contact with the law.
VALID
VALID provide advocacy support to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual disability. The Staying Safe project and videos help people with disability learn how they can stay safe in their home and the community.
South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability (SACID)
SACID run Staying Safe workshops for people with intellectual disability about how to stay safe in your home, service, workplace and community.
Speak Out Tasmania
Speak Out provide advocacy support to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual disability.
Other human rights resources
First People’s Disability Network (FPDN)
FPDN runs culturally safe ‘Know your Human Rights’ training. This training helps empower community to use this knowledge and be confident to speak up for their rights.
Zero Tolerance
The Zero Tolerance program helps disability service providers protect and promote the rights of people they support. Zero Tolerance is a commitment to respond to any abuse of the human rights of people using disability services.
