The human rights model

The human rights model of disability can be seen as the most recent development of the social model. It states that:

• All human beings are equal and have rights that should be respected without distinction of any kind.
• People with disabilities are citizens and, as such, have the same rights as those without impairments.
• All actions to support people with disabilities should be 'rights based'; for example, the demand for equal access to services and opportunities as a human right.

Like the social model, the human rights model places responsibility for addressing the problems of disability on society rather than on the person with disabilities. It also places a responsibility on you to ensure that appropriate legislation designed by the government is complied with at a local level.