“The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play” Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of […]
By Blair Morris. This article is part of our October theme on disability rights. To read more on this topic, click here. Medicating people with disabilities and elderly people is a contentious issue, particularly in situations that involve aggression. Some experts argue that medication can have a calming effect, and may help to “normalise” the individual. […]
By Holly Kendall. This article is part of our October theme on disability rights. To read more on this topic, click here. Disability isn’t something we like to think about. People with a disability have complex needs that society struggles to meet. There is no magic solution. Disability reminds us that we are vulnerable. Anyone of […]
By David Donaldson Like many others I was fascinated by the wheelchair rugby at the Paralympics earlier this year. As someone who is basically afraid of sport, I found this fast-paced game strangely intriguing. I realised that, despite being in some way “disabled”, the people I was watching onscreen were far fitter and stronger than […]
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in Australia and are estimated to affect 1.3 million adults every year. Michelle Graeber has been CEO of the Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria (ARCVic) for five years. ARCVic is a non-profit state-wide community mental health organisation that provides support, self-help, recovery and education for people and […]
This article is part of our October theme on disability rights. To read more on this topic, click here. Several years ago, a family friend suffered a brain aneurysm. A blood vessel in her brain exploded, resulting in a severe haemorrhage. One minute she was taking a cigarette break with her colleagues, the next she was […]
By Hanne Watkins. Alex sat clutching his favourite spoon, which had a rocket printed on its chubby handle and small side fins to complete the effect. We were soon having great fun as I guided the cereal into his mouth with the kind of zooming noises fathers are convinced will encourage good coordination. It was […]
Government fails on child rights The Australian Human Rights Commission has found that Australia’s treatment of suspected people smugglers who said that they were children has breached international human rights law in a report released on Friday. The report An age of uncertainty reveal that between 2008 and 2011 Australian authorities gave little consideration to […]
By Marisa McCague, Meredith Fordyce and Kathryn Finemore. This article is part of our July focus on the rights of children and youth. Read our Editorial for more on this theme. Recently a mother tried to enroll her child at her local primary school. The Principal took it upon himself to ring the Principal of the local Special […]
14 July 2012 Vulnerable young women subject to trafficking in Queensland mining towns According to the The Age, vulnerable young women from Southeast Asia are being trafficked for sex in booming mining towns in Queensland. Mount Isa police district Inspector Paul Biggin has said that women and girls who can speak minimal or no English, […]
This article is part of our February theme, which focuses on one of the great silences in the human rights conversation in Australia: Prisoners’ Rights. Read our Editorial for more on this theme. In January 2012, the Australian Government released the draft Ten Year Roadmap for National Mental Health Reform (the Roadmap). While its stated aim […]
This article is part of our February theme, which focuses on one of the great silences in the human rights conversation in Australia: Prisoners’ Rights. Read our Editorial for more on this theme. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), to which Australia is a signatory, came into effect in 2008. Its […]