Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Workshops

January - June 2007

The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities

Human rights are the foundation for freedom, justice, peace and respect, and are an essential element of any democratic and inclusive society that respects the rule of law, human dignity and equality.

In July 2006 Victoria became the first Australian state to enact a Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, which will come into effect on January 1 st 2007.

The Charter is an agreed set of democratic rights and freedoms protected by law.

Under the Charter, Parliament, bureaucrats, courts and tribunals are required to talk to each other about human rights issues and to act in a way that is consistent with the human rights protected under the Charter.

The Charter also provides a framework for public authorities in Victoria to ensure they respect human rights in their day-to-day operations.

Under the Charter, the Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria (renamed the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission from January 1 2007) will have a number of additional responsibilities. The Commission’s role will be to:

ensure Victorians understand their human rights protections and obligations
provide an independent assessment of how well State and local government complies with the Charter

Who is impacted?

The rights protected under the Charter apply equally to all people in Victoria in their dealings with government and other public authorities.

Public authorities including local government, government departments, Ministers, Victoria Police, and bodies publicly funded to perform functions on behalf of the government have a range of responsibilities under the Charter, and are required by law to ensure these responsibilities are met.

It is important that community members are aware of their rights and responsibilities under the Charter and the avenues available to them if they feel their rights have been breached.

Community organisations must consider whether policies and procedures are consistent with the Charter to:

Ensure human rights standards are maintained and upheld
Promote access and equity, especially for disadvantaged and marginalised people
Meet legal obligations

Who are these workshops for?

The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities workshops are designed to help community organisations understand and apply the rights and obligations contained in the Charter.

The introductory workshop will explore the fundamentals of human rights, the function and operation of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, and how organisations can meet their human rights obligations and achieve best practice.

The applied workshop will build on the understanding gained from the introductory session by further exploring how community organisations can actively engage in the political process to advocate for policy and legislative change.

Why us?

The Commission has had many years experience educating the Victorian community about issues of discrimination and sexual harassment. From January 2007 the Commission will have additional responsibilities to educate Victorians about the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

The Commission is committed to ensuring Victorians are informed and educated about their human rights and responsibilities, and are aware of the responsibilities on government and other public authorities.

Who can attend?

Training places are strictly limited. Workshops are designed to be an interactive learning environment and are limited to between 30 and 40 participants.

As the Commission has responsibility for community education under the Charter, eligibility for workshops is limited to not-for-profit organisations and groups. Government agencies and private sector businesses are not eligible to attend, but may be able to access training through the Department of Justice.

Prerequisites

The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (Applied) workshop is designed for participants who have attended the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (Introduction) workshop.

Cost

All Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities workshops are provided free of charge.

More information

For more information about workshop content, enrolment, eligibility and other education opportunities in relation to the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, call (03) 9281 7122 or 1800 134 142 or email paula.crimmins@eoc.vic.gov.au

Workshop Outlines

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (Introduction)

Thursday 22 February - 9.30am
Tuesday 20 March - 9.30am
Monday 16 April - 9.30am

This workshop will provide an introduction to:

Key human rights concepts
The rights and responsibilities contained within the Charter
The operation of the Charter
Remedies contained in the Charter
The functions of the Commission

Duration: 3.5 hours
Cost: Free
Prerequisites: None

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (Applied)

Monday 21 May - 9.30am

Participants in the workshop will:

Recap the operation of the Charter
Further examine remedies contained within the Charter
Develop lobbying and political advocacy skills
Explore stages and strategies in the development of a social change campaign

Duration: 4 hours
Cost: Free
Prerequisites: Introductory session

Practical details

All workshops are held at our training centre located at Level 3, 380 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne (between Elizabeth and Queen Streets). The building is wheelchair accessible.

Workshops begin with registration and refreshments 15 minutes before the advertised starting time.

If you are unable to attend

Please feel free to substitute another member of your staff. If possible, please let us know who will be attending at least 24 hours before the workshop.

Under some circumstance we may be able to transfer your registration to a different (or later) workshop if reasonable notice is provided.

The EOCV complies with Victorian privacy laws and the confidentiality provisions of the Equal Opportunity Act 1995. For a copy of the EOCV privacy policy, please go to www.eoc.vic.gov.au/privacy or contact the EOCV.