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Being a young person can be tough. Sometimes it can feel like you don’t have a say about things that affect you. But you do! Having a say is one of your rights. Understanding your rights will give you the power to stand up for yourself and the people around you. So, let’s break down what children’s rights are.
My rights as a young person
What is a right?
Human rights are special protections that help us live a happy, healthy life. Human rights protect the things that we should all have—like clean water and safety. Your rights should always be respected and never taken away from you.
Universal and equal rights
Human rights are universal and equal. Which means:
- Everyone has human rights, simply because they are human—no matter who they are, how they identify, or what language they speak, or if they have a disability.
- No right is more important than another—all rights are important and should be treated with the same respect.
Did you know there are 42 rights just for children?
Children have special rights to meet their special needs. They are written down in an agreement made by world leaders in 1989—the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Rights and Freedoms
“The Relevance of Human Rights in Contemporary Australia”: Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM (2003)
1. Introduction 2. Emergence of International Human Rights 3. Impact of international human rights law on federal law 4. Moving forward on human rights protection
Commission – General
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By way of preamble, it is clear the current climate of terrorism obviously requires governments to put in place measures that can effectively deal with a serious terrorist threat or event as soon as it is detected. Parliament cannot wait until potential dangers eventuate. It is understandable – indeed it is necessary in advance - to put in place measures that can deal with the worst case scenario that could arise.
Commission – General
President speech: The National Human Rights Consultation: Outcomes
Discover a speech on the outcomes of the National Human Rights Consultation.
Commission – General
The Admission and Exclusion of Asylum Seekers Conference
Discover a speech on asylum seekers.
Commission – General
National Human Rights Institutions
The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (hereafter the Australian Human Rights Commission) is one of the oldest National Human Rights Institutions in the Asia Pacific region. It was originally established in 1981 as the Human Rights Commission and then restructured in 1986 to become the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. It is a founding member and a strong supporter of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions.
Rights and Freedoms
Is it coming up roses yet? Women in the 21st century
Union, University and Schools Club * check upon delivery Introduction Thank you to the Union, University and Schools Club for inviting me to speak and to Dr Mary Forbes for reaching out to. This is a wonderful event. Full of pride, full of celebration—and full of women and supportive men! Let me...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
Fourth Edition of Indigenous Legal Issues: Commentary and Materials
I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal People, the traditional owners and custodians of the Eora Nation and pay my respects to their elders past and present.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
Indigenous Home Ownership Panel Discussion
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Arrernte people – the traditional owners of the land we are meeting on today and by paying my respects to their ancestors.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
Diabetes in Indigenous Communities
May I also congratulate the organisers for convening this important Forum. We know that rates of diabetes among indigenous peoples across the globe, and in Australia, are extremely high and require specific, focused attention. And we also know that we need action urgently.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
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Thank you for attending this press conference to discuss the release of the Social Justice Report and Native Title Report for 2002. As you would be aware, these reports are the annual report card on the government's performance on Indigenous issues and native title.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
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The story in my hand is the saddest of all stories. It is the story of children taken from their mothers and fathers and families. It is the story of mothers and fathers and families who lost the most precious thing in their lives. Their children.
Disability Rights
The elimination of disability discrimination in Australia
Graeme Innes AM Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Physical Disability Council of Australia 20 November 2000
Sex Discrimination
National Strategic Conference on Fatherhood: Pru Goward
Of course, women too can be violent. However for the most part, the purpose and effects differ radically - male violence is used to regulate women's behaviour, and men's. Men commit most of the violence that is considered in the criminal system, against women and against other men.
Rights and Freedoms
Police Checks - A Human Rights perspective
Acknowledgments I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet. I'd also like to thank the Aged and Community Services Association for inviting me to speak about police checks today. Introduction I suspect the average person in the street associates police checks with high-security jobs, such as airport security, or, on the other hand, with jobs working closely with children. However, police checks are required for an increasing number and variety of occupations and industries in Australia, including those providing aged and community services.
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