The crucial link between human rights and our daily work

This year, International Human Rights Day coincides with the end of my first week in a new role as our director of Civil Justice. The 2021 theme, ‘reducing inequalities, advancing human rights’ recognises that:

Rampant poverty, pervasive inequalities and structural discrimination are human rights violations and among the greatest global challenges of our time. Addressing them effectively requires measures grounded in human rights, renewed political commitment and participation of all, especially those most affected.

There are parallels between this global agenda and the day-to-day work of our Civil Justice program and our allies in the legal assistance sector. The work we do assists people to stay in housing and employment, to secure income or disability support, to maintain their visa and their place in the Australian community, to have a say in their mental health treatment, and to address discrimination.

These issues affect people’s daily lives. They are also fundamentally about rights and power and structural inequality. Structural racism and Australia’s colonial past mean First Nations people experience these issues more heavily. These issues are also experienced disproportionately by people with disability, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, LGBTIQ+ people and young people.

They are issues that people often don’t identify as having a legal dimension, instead seen individually as a problem with housing, work, money or a government decision; and ultimately as something they can’t do anything about.

Through our work we see that early access to legal assistance and non-legal advocacy has a crucial role to play in people understanding their rights and options and being able to exercise those rights. In some cases, understanding and exercising their rights can prevent a cascade of hardship, including debt, eviction, deteriorating mental health, family breakdown and getting caught up in the criminal justice system. These consequences – including, homelessness, poverty, detention or imprisonment – damage people’s health, wellbeing and families. They carry a heavy cost for people and for the community.

They are consequences that can and should be avoided, including through investment in services that are shaped by people with lived experience and local communities, that meet people’s needs before they escalate. Early access to legal assistance is one part of this safety net.

As the UN recognises, it is crucial that reform is driven and informed by people directly affected. In my time at Victoria Legal Aid (VLA), I have had the benefit and privilege of working with Wanda Bennetts, Senior Consumer Consultant, and VLA’s mental health advisory group, Speaking from Experience. This group of experts with lived experience of the public mental health system has shaped policy development, recruitment, resources and reforms. Speaking from Experience played a key role in VLA’s contribution to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Wanda articulated the vision for that system’s much needed reform, 'Now is the time for a total rethink and genuine culture shift. We need more services, better services and importantly, we also need alternative services. Let those of us most impacted by the system lead the way in designing a new system that works for us. We want services that are amazing – that you would consider good enough for yourself or your families and friends' said Wanda.

It's a vision we must return to regularly as this 10-year reform of Victoria’s mental health system takes shape.

The new role of director of Civil Justice at VLA has been created in recognition of the importance of civil legal assistance and non-legal advocacy in the justice and legal assistance sectors, and in our communities. I am hopeful about the possibilities for the new role, including the prospects of expanding our services to meet the civil legal and non-legal needs of more people across Victoria, strengthening our partnerships with allies, working with lived experience experts, improving our racial justice focus and continuing to inform and influence changes to laws and policies that affect people’s rights and quality of life.

I hope to have the chance to work with many of you toward a fairer, stronger and more inclusive Victorian community.

More information

Read about Human Rights Week.