HRO - What Are Human Rights

Human Rights Office: General Information: What Are Human Rights

What Are Human Rights?

What do we mean by Human Rights?

Queen's Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Procedure gives the Human Rights Office a mandate to promote human rights and to take action where acts of discrimination or harassment occur. The following grounds are specifically named in this document:

race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age marital status, family status and disability (handicap)

The Office is mandated to prevent discrimination on these and similar grounds, as well as to educate the Queen's community about human rights issues.

How does the Harassment and Discrimination Policy work?

The University Senate has adopted the Queen's Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Procedure which clearly states that every individual is entitled to work and study in an environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. In order to advance the goals of this policy, the Human Rights Office provides education to members of the community with regard to their rights and responsibilities in the area of human rights.

Training, workshop and information sessions can be specifically tailored to meet your group's needs.

Our goal is to help Queen's community members create environments that reflect the diversity of who we are: feminists, people of colour, gay men, lesbians, bisexual men and women, persons with disabilities, persons of many religious cultures!

Queen's Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Procedure outlines how individuals or groups may pursue a formal or informal complaint following an incident of harassment or discrimination. In brief, the process offers the following options:

What other resources does the Human Rights Office offer?

The Human Rights Office publishes several posters and documents on various human rights issues, as well as wallet size safety cards. These are available free of charge to interested individuals or groups.

In addition, we have a library of audio-visual and print resources on a variety of human rights issues.

The print resources are available for consultation; we cannot offer lending privileges. However, community members who sign up with the Office are eligible for limited photocopying privileges. So, the next time you come to consult our resources, please ask for a card to sign up. An appointment made with the Office ensures that a staff member will be available to help you with your search.