Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Session Three Human Rights What it means to us.

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research What is the United Nations?

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research The United Nations has produced many international conventions, declarations and legal documents which list our human rights. These laws and documents together make up the human rights framework When Governments sign these documents and conventions they are agreeing to respect these human rights. What is the Human Rights Framework?

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research What are Human Rights? These are the rights to which all people are entitled regardless of race, gender, religion, age or any other social characteristic. They are universal - this means they belong to everyone everywhere.

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research They are indivisible which means that all human rights are of equal importance. They are inalienable which means that although someone may stop you having them they are still your rights. What Are Human Rights?

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (IESCR)

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research What are our Fundamental Human Rights? Economic, Social and Cultural Rights   Food, water, shelter,   Health care,   Education,   The right to family,   Access to income and the right to work,   The right to religion   The right to enjoy the cultural life of your community

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research   Access to the law   Religious freedom   Political freedom   Access to income,   The right not to be tortured   To live without persecution   The right to seek asylum   The right to work free from exploitation,   The right to life, to security, to freedom   Freedom of movement   The right not to be forced into a marriage Civil and Political Rights

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research   Political challenges - State sovereignty & lack of political will   Ideological challenges - Universality versus cultural relativism - Individual or collective rights   Women and girls human rights - Gender neutral or gender blind Human Rights Obstacles and Challenges

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research TheUNIVERSALDECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research

F R E E D O M O F S P E E C H

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research

 Food and water – Brown  Family – Purple  Free from violence – White  Justice and law – Gold  Health – Red  Freedom of speech – Blue  Access to education - Pink  Social security, shelter,  income, resources – Green  Freedom of religion – Yellow  Political freedom -Grey

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research

RefugeesHaveRights

Refugees are those people who are forced to leave their country because of persecution or armed conflict and are unable to return home because of fear of persecution Who are Refugees?

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Refugees are those people who are forced to leave their country because of persecution or armed conflict and are unable to return home because of fear of persecution Who are Refugees?

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research All refugees have a right to full and effective protection from all forms of human rights violations. The 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1967 protocol and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights outline the rights to which all refugees are entitled Refugee Rights.

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Children’s Rights Convention on the Rights of the Child

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research   The right to go to school   The right to be with their parents   The right to have fun   The right not to have to work like an adult   The right to go to a doctor   The right to protection from sexual abuse   The right to be protected from drugs   The right to be safe – to live and grow in safety   The right to not be recruited as a soldier or to fight in a conflict   These rights are set out in CROC – The Convention on the Rights of the Child Children’s Rights

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research

WOMEN’S RIGHTS (CEDAW) The Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research

Partnership between refugee communities and Service Providers What does ‘partnership’ mean in a human rights framework ? It involves recognizing what each group brings to the relationship and together working out together how best to use these resources.

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Some of the things Individuals and communities bring include :  Resilience  Determination to succeed  Knowledge of what they need to succeed  Effective cultural traditions and practice  Previous qualifications and skills, both practical and professional  Survival skills  Prior knowledge and wisdoms

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Some of the things Individuals and communities bring include :   Hopes and aspirations for themselves and their children   Understanding of the refugee experience   The desire to work   The need to participate in their new society   Community structures   Commitment to community left in camps and other refugee settings   Strong loyalty to extended family, and orphaned children   Many other attributes

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Service Providers can offer:   Direct assistance negotiating through the first months of settlement   Knowledge of Australian social systems   Support and friendship   Access to a broad range of social services   Advice and guidance during the settlement process   Some assistance with funding for community meetings and projects   Information and Training   Explanations about Australian culture and social expectations

Copyright Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei, UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Service Providers can offer:   Legal information and advice   Facilitating community development and advocacy   Assisting communities to have their voices heard by those in power   Responding to problems which may emerge during the long journey of settlement   Respect and recognition of community capacity and capabilities   The opportunity for individuals and communities to contribute to   Australian society