The concept that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights is not new. However, it has taken time for that concept to translate to how we treat and include people with disability in everyday life.
In this course we will:
- Explain the concept of human rights
- Introduce the human rights model of disability and how it advances the rights of people with disability
- Explain how the human rights model builds on and extends the social model of disability
- Explain some of the key differences between the human rights model and the social model of disability
- Explain why the medical and charitable models of disability are not consistent with human rights principles.
Lessons
What are human rights?
How do the rights of people with disability fit in?
In the decades since the Universal Declaration, the United Nations has established nine core international human rights treaties. One of these is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of…
Models of disability
The models of disability developed as a way of describing how attitudes, prejudices and barriers impact on the lives of people with disability, and provide some social and historical context.…
The human rights model of disability
Thanks Elly and Kev. That has really helped give the models some perspective.We now know that the human rights model is based on human rights principles that recognise that: Respect…
The social model was a game changer
The social model of disability says that people are disabled by barriers in society, such as buildings not having a ramp or accessible toilets, or people’s attitudes, like assuming people…
How does the human rights model differ from the social model?
The human rights model: Acknowledges the impact of impairment in the lives of people with disability Recognises impairment as a natural aspect of human diversity that governments have a responsibility…
Problems with the medical model of disability
The medical and charitable models of disability are both inconsistent with human rights principles. As advocates, we should aim to challenge these outdated methods in all aspects of our work.…
Problems with the charitable model of disability
The charitable model is based on similar principles to those that underpin the medical model. It grew out of the emergence of charitable organisations that aimed to provide assistance to…
How do the four models compare in practice?
Let’s use a real life scenario to compare these four models of disability. Scenario: A child who uses a wheelchair is unable to attend their local school because most of…
Which model is it?
The models of disability are a useful way of understanding prevailing attitudes towards people with disability, and also to realise when the rights of people with disability are being upheld…
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have completed the Human Rights Model of Disability course. In this course you learnt: How long it has taken for human rights to become established as universal How…