Submission to the Royal Commission on Rights and Attitudes

Submission to the Royal Commission on Rights and Attitudes

25 August, 2020

This week Down Syndrome Australia provided the Disability Royal Commission with a submission on their issue paper on ‘Rights and Attitudes’. I am pleased that the Commission is examining this important issue.  So often, abuse and neglect are related to community attitudes, and a lack of awareness of the rights of people with intellectual disability.

Ellen Skladzien, CEO

We know from our own surveys and discussions with families that many people with Down syndrome experience stigma and discrimination. In 2017, a third of families said the person with Down syndrome had experienced discrimination in the community. Examples of discrimination included the health system, employment, bullying by classmates, shopping centres, comments by other adults, and exclusion from church. 

Down Syndrome Australia will continue to work hard to make sure that more people in our community come to this understanding.  We hope that the work of the Royal Commission on Rights and Attitudes will also lead to change.

You can read our full submission to the Royal Commission on rights and attitudes here.

Read our submission on Rights and attitudes in PDF.

Read our submission on Rights and attitudes in Word.