By Dr Peter Wigg. I have recently returned to Melbourne after fifteen months on a reconstructive surgery program for victims of armed conflict in the Middle East. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), for whom I worked, has hired hospital and accommodation space in Amman in Jordan, and brings patients there on short-term visas from Iraq, Yemen, […]
“The violence in my childhood has led to me having schizophrenia” Meet 18-year-old Brenton*. He migrated to Australia from Madrid when he was two, along with his father and sister. Within a few years, his dad deserted the children. Brenton and his sister were placed in foster care. Their foster father was violent and subjected […]
By Dr Scott Hollier. This article is part of our October focus on Disability Rights. The Australian Government has been working hard over the past two years to ensure that all federal and most state government websites meet the minimal Level “A” requirement of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 by the end of this […]
This article is a guest post from the Chairperson of our Board, Lizzie O’Shea. The Apollo Theatre in Harlem was jammed full of people for the recent US Presidential candidate debate. A community forum preceded the televised event, with local activists of all persuasions. Insightful questions were thrown to the panel from the floor and […]
By Shae Courtney. This article is part of our October focus on Disability Rights. Read more about this topic here. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing disability in the Western world, yet there is no known cure and treating it is an ongoing scientific battle. Prevalence of ASD currently affects one in 90 children in […]
By Professor Bernadette McSherry. This article is part of our October focus on Disability Rights. Read more about this topic here. People with severe mental and intellectual disabilities have traditionally had decisions made for them about where they should live, what medical treatment they should have and how their money should be spent. The era of institutionalisation […]
“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 […]
By Felicity James “Where would our teenagers be if that school wasn’t there? They would probably be on the streets. So I’d be very upset and sad, as you can hear in my voice, I’d be very devastated and upset if it ever closed down.” – Ronald Edwards, former student, Woolum Bellum College, Morwell Lynnette Solomon-Dent’s […]
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 […]