In Victoria, 20 key human rights are set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006. This means that respecting human rights is not just about ticking a box, or something ‘nice’ to do – it’s the law.

Public sector employees must understand and comply with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (the Charter) in their work.

To assist with this, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission developed The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities: A guide for Victorian public sector workers as a general introduction for employees of Victorian local government and state government departments and agencies.

It aims to help those of us who work in public authorities to understand the practical impact of the Charter and our obligations to take human rights into account in the work we do.

If you need further assistance or would like to discuss how the Charter is relevant to particular aspects of the work of your organisation, please contact the Commission, we would be very happy to help.

There is more information at humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/charter and we offer training on the Charter that can be tailored for your organisation.

As always, we welcome feedback on the guide and suggestions to improve it.

Download the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities: a guide for VIctorian public sector workers