Protect the rights of people with disability

Today we celebrate International Day of People with Disability and the 4.4 million Australians with disability.

To do now (5 minutes)

Watch this short video about why it’s important to create space for people to feel safe to speak up about what they need.

Then post to your socials about how you will make your community more inclusive and accessible.

For example: ‘I want to live in a community where differences are celebrated, so I am using respectful and inclusive language at all times #idpwd #HRWVic2021’.

To do this week

• LEARN about more respectful and inclusive language (2-20 minutes)
• SUBSCRIBE to Victorian Disability Worker Commission to stay informed about changes in the disability sector including what rights and protections exist for people with disability in Victoria (1 minute)
• WATCH this video on preventing abuse and neglect before it starts (6 minutes)
• READ more about the Building Safe and Respectful Cultures project, and how to recognise potential abuse and neglect (5 minutes).

Today’s action was brought to you by the Disability Services Commissioner and the Victorian Disability Worker Commission.

Upholding the rights of our LGBTIQ+ community

Did you know that the United Nations has a set of principles on how international human rights law apply in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics?

To do now (5 minutes)

Watch this short video where the Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities explains what the Yogyakarta Principles are and how they are used to underpin the rights of LGBTIQ+ people in Victoria today, including updated protected attributes.

One way you can show solidarity to trans and gender diverse people is to put your pronouns in your signature, Zoom and social media accounts. It makes it less isolating for others who feel they have to offer their pronouns up to make sure they’re not misgendered. It’s the least a cisgender ally can do.

Cisgender, or cis – pronounced ‘sis’ –  person is someone whose gender aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth – someone who isn’t trans or gender diverse.

To do this week

1. READ more about the Yogyakarta Principles (10 minutes)
2. READ more about LGBTIQ+ rights in Victoria (5 minutes)
3. LEARN about how the government is supporting the rights of people with Intersex variations (i) Am Equal: Future directions for Victoria’s Intersex community (5 minutes)

Today’s action was brought to you by the Commission for LGBTIQ+ Communities.

Award-winning short films explore multicultural human rights issues

The Multicultural Film Festival showcases short films that explore stories of diversity and inclusion. This year, there were several strong submissions that tackled human rights issues. Today, we showcase two of them.

To do now

Watch the winner of the Best Open Category Film Love and Revolution. This film spotlights inspiring Palestinian women calling for peace, justice and an end to colonial violence and apartheid (7 minutes).

Then watch Don’t Forget Us. This piece garnered the writer and director Sarah Ghassali a nod in the Emerging Filmmaker category. The film follows Nour, a refugee who has escaped persecution to seek asylum in Australia but found himself in detention for several years (7 minutes).

To do this week

• NOMINATE: for the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll
• SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE about your experiences of racism, which will inform Victoria’s first ever Anti-Racism Strategy
• STAY CONNECTED with news that matters to multicultural communities by singing up to the Victorian Multicultural Commission’s weekly newsletter

More about the Victorian Multicultural Commission

Today’s action was brought to you by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC).

The Multicultural Film Festival is an initiative of the VMC.

As the main link between communities and government, the VMC engages with multicultural and multifaith groups to understand the issues they face. They then work together to identify and recommend potential solutions to government, policy makers and community organisations to make public services more inclusive and accessible.

The VMC also presents a packed calendar of festivals and events each year, including the Premier’s Gala Dinner, the Refugee Awards and Cultural Diversity Week.

You can follow the VMC’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for daily updates.

How much do you know about children and young people’s rights in Victoria?

To do now (5 minutes)

Watch our Instagram stories to test how much you know about children and young people’s rights in Victoria.

They’ll also be available on Facebook and Twitter.

To do this week

• READ more about the Raise the Age Campaign: Children as young as 10 can arrested and put in youth prisons (5 minutes)
• LEARN about the 42 rights in the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (10 minutes)
• EXPLORE Victoria’s new Child Safe Standards (15 minutes) and the:
  • organisational responsibilities to empower children and young people about their rights diverse and unique identities
  • focus on the experiences of Aboriginal children and young people, ensuring they are respected and valued.

Today’s action was brought to you by the Commission for Children and Young People.

Act on ageism

To do now (5 minutes)

Assumptions or stereotypes about age can impact all areas of our lives – our confidence, career choices and job prospects, health, quality of life and our control over life decisions.

Age is a number, and it doesn’t define us.

Take a selfie and share something about yourself that challenges pre-conceived ideas about age.

To get involved:

1. download and print our sign – or write one yourself on a piece of paper – including the title Age does not define us and the hashtag #HRWVic2021
2. add your own message about something you enjoy or are good at that might surprise people – it could be a hobby, music or a skill
3. take a selfie with your sign
4. share your selfie on social media with a personalised message. Use the key messages about ageism below to develop your post and tag the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) and the Commissioner for Senior Victorians.

Take a step further: To do this week

• TEST yourself by participating in an ‘Am I ageist?’ quiz developed by Every Age Counts (5 minutes)
• WATCH a powerful short video ‘Age doesn’t define you’ on YouTube from the Global Campaign to Combat Ageism (2 minutes)
• CHECK OUT the Framing Age Message Guide with tips about how to communicate and talk about age and ageing (15 minutes)
• PLEDGE to stand for a world without ageism on the Every Age Counts website (2 minutes)
• READ a report by the Australian Human Rights Commission ‘What’s age got to do with it? A snapshot of ageism across the Australian lifespan’ (long read)

What is ageism?

Ageism affects everyone, but it’s not well known or understood. While ageism can be experienced at any stage of life, it’s most likely to happen to older and younger people.

A recent report by the Australian Human Rights Commission found while 83% of survey respondents believe ageism is a problem, over half agree that making jokes about age is more socially acceptable than making jokes about things like race or gender.

Age is a protected characteristic under Victoria’s Equal Opportunity Act. That means age-based discrimination is against the law if it happens in areas of public life, such as work, education, clubs and sporting groups, shops and restaurants, aged care and accommodation.

In 2021, Australia marked its first ever Ageism Awareness Day to coincide with the UN’s International Day of Older Persons and draw attention to the existence and impacts of ageism.

Every life is of equal value and everyone deserves to be valued and respected for who they are. People of every age should have every opportunity to participate in our communities. Our diversity should be seen and celebrated.

Today’s action was brought to you by the Commissioner for Senior Victorians.

See above for today’s action!