STRONGER TOGETHER: Human Rights - for all people always

By Tanya O'Shea, IMPACT Community Services Managing Director

"STRONGER TOGETHER" IS A WEEKLY COLUMN WHERE TANYA EXPLORES KEY ISSUES. TODAY TANYA WRITES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND HOW WE CAN "RECOVER BETTER".

Human Rights affect everyone.

They should inform the decisions we make and the actions we take every day.

While most people might not know exactly which 23 human rights are protected by the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019, the essence of each guideline has been engrained in what we’ve been taught is “acceptable behavior” for human beings.

Human Rights are there to protect all people, yet not everybody is aware of their rights to a life of equality, free from abuse, discrimination and unfair judgement.

Over the past month the Queensland Human Rights Commission has been publishing information on their Facebook page about the 23 human rights that are protected by the Act.

These rights include the right to life, feeling safe, being equal, protection from torture or degrading treatment, freedom of thought, expression, culture, privacy, property and liberty, to name a few.

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Today, Thursday 10 December, is Human Rights Day; the culmination of what has been Human Rights Month.

The theme this year is to “Recover Better” – a reminder that recovery efforts following the COVID-19 pandemic must assist all people from all walks of life.

At IMPACT we take these guidelines seriously; they provide the foundation for everything we do, from our mission statement to our core values, our overall vision and the way we conduct day-to-day business.

We operate under three main pillars of community service: live, grow and prosper.

Our “live” programs aim to assist people who need support at a base level, our “grow” services are designed to train and upskill people with an aim to become job ready, and our “prosper” pillar focuses on connecting participants to sustainable employment outcomes.

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We also run two commercial businesses that employ a diverse range of people who might otherwise be overlooked for other jobs.

This includes people with a disability, older citizens and those who might be re-entering the workforce.

Throughout each phase of our organisation, people and their human rights are our core focus.

Do you act in a way each day that encourages people to live by these principles?

Do you support people’s human rights to freedom of speech, culture, belief, movement and expression?

Or do you think you could work on the level of acceptance you have for other people’s freedoms?

If you feel as though your human rights are being violated, or know of someone being discriminated against, speak to the Queensland Human Rights Commission on 1300 130 670.