"At People First you speak up for your rights"
Frances E Watson
All people have essential rights. These are the right to:
- be born
- to have a roof over your head
- food and nourishment
- clean water to drink
- adequate clothing
- someone to love and respect you
- good medical care
- a satisfying life, no matter what your disability is
Other human rights are:
- a sense of self esteem (to feel good inside)
- having your opinions listened to
- being able to express your individuality (doing things that make me ME)
- expressing your cultural heritage, religious beliefs and sexual orientation as long as it doesn't harm other people
- having an appropriate education
- having privacy
- having opportunities for satisfying recreation
- expressing feelings - sadness, happiness etc
- making choices, for example what clothes to wear, what food to eat,
- who you live with
- to be consulted about what is going to happen to you, how your money is spent etc
- being able to live in the community
- having access to your records
- having things explained to you in ways that you can understand them
Rights go together with responsibilities. If you can't manage the responsibility then you forgo the rights - for example driving a car., If you can't drive safely then you have to consider the rights of other road users to be safe. You have no right to put other road users at risk.
If your rights are being ignored
If your rights are being ignored you should take action. You can ask your People First group to help you do this.
If you aren't happy about a service you can complain to the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner, you can phone the office free on:
0800 11 22 33
The law says you can't be treated differently just because you have a disability. If you think you are being discriminated against because you have a disability, you can complain to the Human Rights Commission:
0800 496 877
