Vulnerable Groups Research Paper

In regards to human rights vulnerable groups have received growing attention due to their vulnerability towards discrimination and being overlooked by those within society to be excluded and their rights being insufficiently met (United Nations Enable, 2006). United Nations Enable (2006) describes vulnerable groups as those people belonging in a group that share common characteristics or in situations that make them vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion from society. Two of these vulnerable groups that are faced with discrimination and social exclusion are the disabled and women.
The Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (1975) states in Article 1 that a disabled person is “any person unable to ensure by himself or herself, wholly …show more content…
Tomasevski (2000, p.233) states that women are discriminated on six different grounds including ‘sex, pregnancy and child bearing, maternity, marital status, family status and family and household duties and responsibilities.’ It is these grounds that enable women to receive the same equal rights as men. Violence against women is one of the most widespread violations of human rights as it does not effect a certain group, but women of all ages, race, culture and wealth (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women n.d.). Despite long term programs being put into place new dimensions of violence are against women are emerging which include exploitation of women and girls and trafficking (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women n.d.). The national action plan to reduce violence against women and children is twelve year programs that is in place to try and reduce violence against women. The plan has six outcomes each with strategies within to achieve the outcome within the twelve years (Australian Government Department of Social Services, 2015). The first national outcome is about safe communities free from violence. Australian Government Department of Social Services (2015) states that communities ‘attitudes and beliefs contribute to all forms of violence against women, whether it is emotional, psychological, economic, physical or sexual violence’ which can result in violence being justified. One strategy within the first outcome is the focus on primary prevention which involves taking action to prevent the problem before it occurs. This consist of social marketing, school based programs and to promote a positive and equal workplace (Australian Government