Vibewire receives human rights grant

24/10/2007

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has granted $5,000 in funding to Vibewire for a human rights project.

The grant will be used to run a competition aimed at young people, who will be asked to represent human rights through a variety of creative forms including film, music, writing and design. The best entries will then be used to inform young Victorians about human rights.

“The best people to communicate the importance of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities to young people are young people themselves,” says Vibewire National Coordinator Tom Dawkins. “This competition run through Vibewire.net, our online media portal, will allow young Victorians to reflect on human rights and respond in a form which is meaningful for them.”

Vibewire is a national youth media organisation which aims to provide creative young Australians with alternative, innovative and independent media platforms for the expression of issues that matter to them.

The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities comes into effect fully in Victoria on the 1st of January 2008.

The Charter is an agreed set of democratic rights and freedoms protected by law that ensures all members of the community are treated fairly. Under the Charter, State and local government are now compelled to take human rights into account when developing policies and legislation and delivering services.

One of the key new roles of the Commission under the Charter is to inform and educate Victorians about their human rights and responsibilities.

The purpose of the grants program is to support community organisations to educate about human rights, and to promote awareness of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities. The Commission received 65 applications for funding. Funds have been granted to six successful applicants for innovative and valuable projects.

Acting Commission chief executive, Ms Slavka Scott, said the grants program was a way to raise awareness of human rights within the community.

“Victoria has a new Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities but not enough people are aware of it,” she said. “We have awarded these grants to outstanding applicants so that they can pass on knowledge and awareness of human rights to their communities.”

Media contact: Jessica Ardley, (03) 9281 7133 or 04288 81254