Human Rights Day Symposium 2026

Human Rights Day Symposium 2026: Claim Your Rights

Thursday, 10 December 2026

2:30 pm–6:00 pm
Prospect Library, Prospect Road, Prospect SA
Free event — registration is essential

Human rights should not remain words on a page. They should be understood, respected and lived every day.

Join B-HART for an inclusive, community-led symposium marking Human Rights Day 2026 and showcasing the outcomes of the How to Claim Your Human Rights initiative.

This event will bring together people with disability, peer leaders, families, carers, advocates, community organisations, service providers and allies to explore what human rights look like in everyday life—and how people can feel more confident understanding, using and claiming their rights.

About the How to Claim Your Human Rights Initiative

B-HART is proud to lead the How to Claim Your Human Rights initiative in collaboration with six leading disability advocacy and community organisations.

The project supports people with disability, families and carers to understand and act on their rights in daily life.

Grounded in co-design and lived experience, the initiative brings together people from different disability communities to develop practical, accessible and community-informed resources.

These resources are designed to help people:

• better understand their human rights;

• recognise when a situation may involve their rights;

• find practical words and tools for speaking up;

• build confidence to participate in decisions;

• hear from other people with lived experience; and

• take practical action in everyday situations.

The How to Claim Your Human Rights initiative is proudly funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

About the Symposium

The Human Rights Day Symposium will celebrate the work completed through the project and provide an opportunity for the community to explore the resources created through co-design.

The event will focus on the experiences, knowledge and leadership of people with disability.

Throughout the afternoon, attendees will hear real stories, meet peer leaders and consortium partners, explore practical human-rights resources and see how the B-HART platform can support people to better understand and claim their rights.

The event will also provide a space for community members, organisations and allies to connect, share ideas and discuss how human rights can be strengthened in everyday practice.

What to Expect

During the symposium, you will have the opportunity to:

• hear directly from people with disability and lived-experience leaders;

• listen to invited human-rights and community speakers;

• explore what claiming your rights can look like in everyday life;

• hear real stories about choice, participation, communication and speaking up;

• learn how the project’s resources were developed through co-design;

• meet representatives from B-HART’s six consortium partners;

• see a live demonstration of the B-HART platform;

• explore practical tools, videos and communication resources;

• learn more about the #EveryRightCounts awareness campaign; and

• connect with other attendees during the community networking session.

B-HART Platform and Resource Showcase

A key part of the symposium will be the public showcase of the B-HART platform and the resources developed through the How to Claim Your Human Rights initiative.

The B-HART platform is being developed as an accessible and welcoming place where people with disability can:

• learn about their human rights;

• hear real stories from other people with disability;

• watch conversations with peer leaders;

• explore examples of rights in everyday situations;

• access practical communication tools;

• find words they may be able to use when speaking up;

• build confidence to take the next step; and

• provide feedback to help improve future resources.

The platform may include:

• “What are my rights?” information;

• “What can I say?” communication scripts;

• real stories about claiming rights;

• short educational videos;

• peer-leader conversations;

• practical examples;

• introductory human-rights learning resources; and

• tools to support reflection and action.

You do not need to be a human-rights expert.

You need access to clear information, useful tools and a community that listens.

Proposed Event Program

2:30 pm — Welcome and Opening

An introduction to Human Rights Day, B-HART, the project and the purpose of the symposium.

Official and Human-Rights Addresses

Hear from invited government, human-rights and community representatives.

Lived-Experience and Peer-Leader Panel

A practical conversation with people with disability, peer leaders and consortium partner representatives about:

• recognising human rights in everyday situations;

• building confidence to speak up;

• asking for accessible communication;

• participating in decisions;

• learning through co-design; and

• supporting other people to understand their rights.

B-HART Platform and Resource Showcase

A live introduction to the new platform and the practical resources created through the project.

5:00 pm–6:00 pm — Community Networking

Meet the B-HART team, consortium partners, peer leaders, advocates and other members of the community.

The final program and confirmed speakers will be announced closer to the event.

Our Consortium Partners

Our consortium partners represent a broad section of the disability community.

Their participation helps ensure that the training, stories, tools and resources developed through the co-design process reflect different experiences, communication needs and communities.

The consortium partners are:

Lived Experience Australia

Lived Experience Australia contributes the perspectives and experiences of people with lived experience and supports meaningful participation in the development of the project.

Visit the Lived Experience Australia website

South Australian Council for Intellectual Disability — SACID

SACID works alongside people with intellectual disability and supports people to understand their rights, build confidence and contribute to inclusive community development.

Visit the SACID website

Deafblind Victoria

Deafblind Victoria brings the experiences and perspectives of people who are deafblind, including the importance of accessible communication, participation and adequate time to communicate.

Visit the Deafblind Victoria website

ColourFull Abilities

ColourFull Abilities contributes to the project by representing diverse experiences and supporting inclusive, community-informed approaches.

Visit the ColourFull Abilities website

KYD-X

KYD-X supports young people with disability and their families and contributes to the project’s focus on participation, confidence and community inclusion.

Visit the KYD-X website

Community Bridging Services Inc. — CBS

Community Bridging Services Inc. supports people with disability to participate in employment, community life and opportunities that strengthen independence and inclusion.

Visit the Community Bridging Services Inc. website

Together, the six partners are helping B-HART create resources that are practical, accessible and grounded in the real experiences of people with disability.

Who Should Attend?

The symposium is open to:

• people with disability;

• families and carers;

• peer leaders;

• disability advocates;

• lived-experience representatives;

• community organisations;

• support coordinators;

• disability service providers;

• NDIS professionals;

• allied-health professionals;

• government and policy representatives;

• educators and employers;

• human-rights professionals; and

• anyone interested in making human rights meaningful in everyday life.

Accessibility

The event is being designed to be inclusive and accessible.

Planned access supports include:

• wheelchair-accessible venue entry and event spaces;

• accessible stage access;

• live captioning;

• Auslan interpretation;

• Easy Read event information;

• accessible digital and printed resources; and

• livestream access for people who are unable to attend in person.

Please tell us about any access, communication, dietary or participation requirements when completing your registration.

Final information about accessibility supports and livestream access will be sent to registered attendees before the event.

Tickets

Attendance is free, but registration is essential because venue capacity is limited.

Please register separately for each person attending.

Information about livestream registration will be released once the online-access arrangements are confirmed.

Join the Community

B-HART is building a community of people with disability, families, peer leaders, advocates and allies who believe human rights should be understood, respected and lived every day.

You do not need to be an expert to take part.

You need access to the right information, practical tools and community support.

Join us to:

• know your rights;

• hear real stories;

• explore practical resources;

• meet the people behind the project;

• build confidence to speak up; and

• help shape the future of the B-HART platform.

Every right matters. Every voice matters.

#EveryRightCounts

Learn more at www.b-hart.com.au

Funding Acknowledgement

The How to Claim Your Human Rights initiative is proudly funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

The B-HART Human Rights Day Symposium is being delivered as part of this funded initiative and in collaboration with the project’s six consortium partners.

Before publishing this on Humanitix, circulate the final event description, partner names and links, event branding, logos and funding acknowledgement to all six consortium partners for written review and approval.