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Youth rights

Regardless of your age, everyone deserves fair treatment, but young people are often vulnerable to discrimination and harassment. In Victoria, it’s against the law for people to treat you unfairly or bully you because of your age. Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities recognises that children have the same rights as adults with added protection according to their best interests. Children charged with committing a crime also have special rights in the criminal process.

A group of three young friends stand in a circle talking.

Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash

Topics

Age

Key stats

1 in 3

Australian teenagers are treated unfairly or badly because of protected attributes including their race, religious belief, sexual identity or disability.

Growing Up in Australia 2021

30%

of all employed persons in Australia are young people aged 15-24.

41.9%

of young people say they are concerned about their mental health. This figure increases to 72.2% for gender diverse young people.

Stories

Faiza's story

"When my manager started to bring up photos he’d seen of me or comments I’d made online, well, that’s when I started to feel uncomfortable. He was an OK guy, but he was way older than me and it just felt like a real power imbalance."

‘Close up’ videos – Jul 2019

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Address
Level 3, 204 Lygon Street Carlton Victoria 3053

General enquiries
enquiries@veohrc.vic.gov.au

Reception
1300 891 848

Enquiry line
1300 292 153 or (03) 9032 3583

Interpreters
1300 152 494

NRS Voice Relay
1300 555 727 then use 1300 292 153

Media enquiries
0447 526 642

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission acknowledges that we work on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We also work remotely and serve communities on the lands of other Traditional Custodians.

We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.