Oak Tasmania: First In Tasmania To Adopt UN ConventionOak Tasmania is the first disability organisation in Tasmania to adopt the principles of the 2006 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. “Oak Tasmania officially adopted the principles of the UN Convention earlier this year and we believe we are the first disability organisation in Tasmania to have done so. We have been aligning ourselves to the principles of the UN Convention for some time as we position ourselves as a lead agency in Tasmania’s disability sector.” Mr Paton said the principles of the Convention are designed to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all people with disability and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. “The programs, employment opportunities and support services provided by Oak Tasmania directly benefit Tasmanians with disability by offering them a choice in where they live, who they live with, how they are supported, where they work and how they access training and educational opportunities. These are working examples of the fundamentals on which the UN Convention is based.”
Mr Paton said Oak Tasmania will continue to raise greater awareness of disability issues by helping the public understand why ensuring human rights for people with disability is important. “It is only through education and understanding that the community will be empowered to act to change the huge divide currently being experienced by more than 111,700 Tasmanians with a disability. “I challenge every disability organisation in the State to help the Tasmanian community understand the level of disadvantage that is being experienced by almost 24 percent of the State’s population, and for them to join us in playing a lead role for a more inclusive society.” Download a copy of the 2006 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 
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