Design For Dignity
Retail Guidelines

What are your responsibilities?

Human Rights

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2008) is the global foundation for setting out the rights of people with disability. It comprises a number of principles including respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy and full and effective participation and inclusion in society.

In Australia, there is a range*Refer to: AHRC International rights information http://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/international/united-nations-convention-rights-persons-disabilities of federal and state legislation and policies in place governing the rights of people with disability. The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 Cth (DDA) and state legislation such as the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 NSW recognises the rights of people with disability to be treated equally before the law and making it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of a person's disability.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 Cth makes it unlawful to discriminate in a range of specific situations that are relevant to retailers and the shopping experience of customers with disability and people or service animals who assist them. These areas include:

  • Section 15 - Employment of people with disability.
  • Section 23 - Providing access to premises and facilities for customers with disability.
  • Section 24 - Providing access to goods, services and facilities for customers with disability.

Standards arising from the DDA, have been systematically developed, including for education, transport*The accessibility standard for Transport is the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport, 2010 and regulates public transport buildings and conveyances. and premises. For the built environment, the Disability (Access to Premises — Buildings) Standards 2010 seeks to provide:

  • Dignified, equitable, cost-effective and reasonably achievable access to buildings, and facilities and services within buildings.
  • Certainty for building certifiers, building developers and building managers.