At Thriving Communities Partnership (TCP) we believe that the best results for individuals, organisations and the community occur when we have a movement of organisations working collaboratively within and across sectors to build holistic, resilience building, preventative and responsive solutions. We believe that we can create a fair and connected system, so that everyone in Australia can achieve an adequate standard of living, and live free from discrimination.

Many people in Australia think about human rights as something quite abstract, and violations of human rights as perhaps something that happens to others overseas. If we reflect on the origins of the right to an adequate standard of living, it emerged from the 1941 Roosevelt speech that outlined Four Freedoms, one of which was “Freedom from Want”.

While this implies the right to work, to property, to right to education and social security, it also suggests a basic minimum entitlement to food, clothing and housing.

In 2019, we know that to be an included and participating member of society and achieve an adequate standard of living, you need more than food, clothing and housing.  You also need access to financial services, insurance, a phone, internet, transport, affordable water, sanitation and energy.

In 2019, we know that to be an included and participating member of society and achieve an adequate standard of living, you need more than food, clothing and housing.  You also need access to financial services, insurance, a phone, internet, transport, affordable water, sanitation and energy.

And, you need to access those things without discrimination, or the need to trade off other life essentials such as food or social connection. Sadly, we continually hear that people are often making these trade-offs.

At TCP, we acknowledge that most of us are just one life event away from experiencing vulnerability through circumstances such as, illness, unemployment, family violence or an accident. Other factors may also play a part, such as financial, digital or social exclusion, cultural diversity, gender diversity and chronic health conditions, disability etc. While we might look at these as risk factors for vulnerability, few people actually self-identify as vulnerable, and some of these traits should also be thought of as strengths.

We know that people who live with factors that increase vulnerability are more susceptible to negative human rights impacts. So often we focus on needing to ‘fix’ the person. We see them as somehow deficient. From a business perspective, in our quest to streamline, categorise, automate, make more efficient, they become the “difficult or inconvenient exception” in our quest for simplicity and effectiveness. And at its worst, we become part of making their lives more unsafe, more challenging, more isolating when we don’t adapt our policies, products, services and culture to support them to thrive. Even if we are not directly perpetrating the abuse, we can facilitate it.

The reality is that these are not vulnerable people, they are people experiencing vulnerability and often, it is the ‘system’ that is causing or exacerbating that vulnerability. 

The reality is that these are not vulnerable people, they are people experiencing vulnerability and often, it is the ‘system’ that is causing or exacerbating that vulnerability. 

What we know is that humans are not simple. What we’ve learned at TCP is that it is not the humans that need fixing. If we are genuine about putting people at the centre of all we do, we recognise that our system is the thing that is broken when it fails to provide people with the support and service they need to go about their daily lives, free from discrimination.

At the core of ensuring that everyone’s human rights are respected, and at the core of being a human, are ethics. It’s what guides us to decide between what’s right and wrong. Sometimes in our organisations we will face trade-offs, and in that moment, we need to reference our internal ethical compass, convene with trusted advisors or look to how other ethical leaders might respond.

When it comes to achieving our purpose of ensuring that everyone has fair and equitable access to achieve an adequate standard of living, we must actively manage these trade-offs within our businesses.

We need to continue to challenge ourselves and each other, to make a genuine commitment to shift the dial for those experiencing vulnerability or exclusion. Whether you look through a human rights, ethics or economic lens, the case for tackling vulnerability just makes sense. When people are healthy, included and participating members of society, we all thrive.

We need to continue to challenge ourselves and each other, to make a genuine commitment to shift the dial for those experiencing vulnerability or exclusion. Whether you look through a human rights, ethics or economic lens, the case for tackling vulnerability just makes sense. When people are healthy, included and participating members of society, we all thrive.

TCP would not exist if there weren’t a growing number of people within organisations and across sectors, hopeful that we can make things better together. Conversations like these keeps human rights, ethics and people at the top of mind and help us keep the optimism alive.

For more information or further discussion email contact@thriving.com.au

Ciara Sterling - CEO Thriving Communities Partnership