I am so glad you've chosen to learn more about health, illness, and disability from a human rights perspective.

More than a billion people in the world experience disabilities. Yet, they are often 'invisible' or frequently marginalized in society and face numerous challenges in the enjoyment of their human rights. In the past, such challenges were seen as an unavoidable consequence of their impairments. More recently, the introduction of a human rights-based model of disability has contributed to a shift in perceptions and attitudes. Viewing disability from a human rights standpoint implicates a change in the way states and all sectors of society consider persons with disabilities: no longer as recipients of medical care and charity or objects of others’ decisions, but as holders of rights.

This online course provides you with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively approach disability from a human rights perspective. Drawing from expertise and examples at the global, regional and national level, it offers a multifaceted overview of historical developments, main standards, key issues, and current challenges in this area of human rights protection.

Please review the course syllabus before you jump into the work for this week: SOC 551 syllabus.pdf

To start, click here. If you are new to or uncomfortable with Canvas, I recommend that you take a look at the Canvas User Orientation.