All Human, All Equal.

Human Rights Day, recognised on 10 December each year, celebrates the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This year’s Human Rights Day slogan “all human, all equal” directly aligns with BEING – Mental Health Consumers’ vision, which is for all people who live with mental health issues to engage as valued members in the communities they choose without stigma or discrimination.

The rights of people with lived experience of mental health issues are fundamental to all that BEING – Mental Health Consumers does. Our work is underpinned by a commitment to upholding international human rights and the belief that recovery is possible for all people who live with mental health issues and emotional distress.

So how do we protect and uphold these rights? Through equality, dignity and inclusion. The UN states “the principles of equality and non-discrimination are at the heart of human rights”; we couldn’t agree more, and have embedded this in our values, vision, and practice as a consumer-led organisation.

By taking a human-rights approach to our work, we strive to highlight inequalities and advocate for systemic change.

This Human Rights Day, we ask the government and decision makers to sit up and take note of what consumers have to say. Listen to the voice of lived experience on the topic of human rights, and how we can improve our systems and infrastructure to support the human rights of people who live with mental health issues. We are “all human, all equal” – and all voices should be heard.

Want to learn more? Check out our Reclaiming Our Rights webinar series

To learn more about mental health and human rights, check out our recent “Reclaiming Our Rights” webinar series. Each webinar focuses on human rights through a different lens – consumers and survivors, advocacy, peer work and consumer research.

To view our “Reclaiming Our Rights” series of webinars on demand, click the links below.

Reclaiming Our Rights – Consumers and Survivors Driving Change

Reclaiming Our Rights – Human Rights Through Advocacy

Reclaiming Our Rights – Human Rights Through Peer Work

Reclaiming Our Rights – Human Rights Through Consumer Research

We will continue to advocate for the human rights of mental health consumers, so please watch this space.