1.2 What do we mean by ‘community’? “Community” in this Guide refers to wherever people live, work and play. People in communities come together for common reasons. Communities exist: • geographically such as a street, a village, a region or a virtual space. • where people come together for a particular function such as a workplace, school, church, or sports club. • where people come together because of their common identity such as age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, or political beliefs. Community may also refer to large group affiliations such as national, international and virtual communities. Every community is made up of a complex system of reciprocal relationships. These relationships carry with them specific rights and obligations. The human rights framework gives us a way of understanding who is most vulnerable, who has the legal or moral responsibility to protect the rights of those most vulnerable, and who is able to influence the behaviours of community members. Figure 1: Rights holders, duty bearers and influencers Rights holders claim rights and respect rights of others Influencers advocate for the respect, protection and promotion of rights Duty bearers Respect, protect and fulfil rights APF HRCLD Guide 14