Speak Up for Communication Rights

in 2018, the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was celebrated by Speech Pathology Australia (the Association).

Article 19 of the declaration provides that “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Fundamental to this is recognising communication is a basic human right. People with communication disability often are restricted from realising their right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas because of their difficulty communicating. Communication disabilities impact all aspects of life (education, employment, socialising, etc.).

Speech pathologists play a crucial role in enabling people with communication disability to realise their communication rights.

Speech Pathology Australia at the United Nations

On 12 June 2019, Speech Pathology Australia, with the support of The Royal College of Speech Language Therapists, American Speech–Language–Hearing Association and the International Communication Project, hosted a dedicated side event as part of the activities surrounding the 12th session of the Conference of State Parties (COSP) to the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The COSP was conducted at the United Nations’ headquarters in New York from 11 to 13 June 2019.

The side event was titled, People with Communication Disabilities Speak Up for Inclusion and Participation: How the implementation of the CRPD and Sustainable Development Goals can support his right. The event was broadcast 'live' on the UN TV website. View a replay of this event.

With the Association being the lead organisation, it was honoured by having the event co-sponsored by the Australian Government.

The aim of the event was to raise the profile and status of communication disabilities with international health bodies (like the UN) and their policy makers, while gaining explicit recognition of communication disability in the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Photographs: View photographs from Speech Pathology Australia's involvement at the 12th session of COSP in New York in June 2019.

Click on a thumb-nail to view a larger version of the photograph (Photo credit: Louise Hutchinson).

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1. Prof Sharynne McLeod (Guest Editor, IJSLP) at the United Nations as part of the Speech Pathology Australia delegation
2. (L-R) Gaenor Dixon (former SPA National President), Prof Sharynne McLeod (Guest Editor, IJSLP), Belinda Hill (former SPA Director), and Gail Mulcair (SPA Chief Executive Officer)
3. International Communication Project side event at the United Nations as part of the 12th session of COSP.
4. The Speech Pathology Australia delegation and guest presenters to the International Communication side event at the United Nations.

Special edition of the International Journal

To mark this occasion, a special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology was published in 2018. View the special issue. 

All members of Speech Pathology Australia received a copy of the special edition (either hard-copy or electronic). Additionally, all papers are freely available online.

View the table of contents of the special issue.

The special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (2018, volume 20, issue 1) celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and aims to expand the discussion of communication as a human right. Not only as it relates to Article 19 (the right to freedom of opinion and expression) but also to subsequent national and international conventions, declarations, legislation, policies and practices.

The forward to the special issue was written by Mr Alastair McEwin, the Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Mr Edward Santow, Human Rights Commissioner, at the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The special issue addresses communication as a human right from four perspectives:

1. Communication rights of all people;
2. Communication rights of people with communication disabilities;
3. Communication rights of children; and
4. Communication rights relating to language.

Special edition at the 2018 National Conference

Video: At the Association’s National Conference in May 2018, Professor Sharynne McLeod, guest editor for the special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, outlined in a short presentation the content and issues covered. Watch Professor McLeod’s presentation (13:53 minutes).

Photographs: View photographs from the formal launch of the Special Edition of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology at the Speech Pathology Australia National Conference held in Adelaide in May 2018.

Click on a thumb-nail to view a larger version of the photograph (Photo credit: Louise Hutchinson).

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1. Gaenor Dixon (President, SPA), Gail Mulcair (CEO, SPA), Prof Kirrie Ballard (Editor, IJSLP), Prof Sharynne McLeod (Guest Editor, IJSLP) (Photo credit: Louise Hutchinson).
2. Natalie Davall (Taylor & Francis), A/Prof Anne Whitworth (Editor, IJSLP), Prof Kirrie Ballard (Editor, IJSLP), Prof Sharynne McLeod (Guest Editor, IJSLP), A/Prof Deborah Hersh (author), Hayley Tancredi (author) (Photo credit: Louise Hutchinson).
3. Authors and editors of the special issue of IJSLP celebrating communication as a human right (L-R): A/Prof Jane McCormack, Prof Sharynne McLeod (Guest Editor, IJSLP), Gail Mulcair (CEO, SPA), Hayley Tancredi, Prof Kirrie Ballard (Editor, IJSLP), Prof Bronwyn Hemsley, Prof Lindy McAllister, A/Prof Deborah Hersh, Dr Bea Staley (Photo credit: Louise Hutchinson).
4. Speech Pathology Australia National Conference delegates celebrating 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and communication as a human right (Article 19) (Photo credit: Louise Hutchinson).