UPR Seminar in Perth - "Human Rights Here and Now"

"Human Rights Here and Now"

Using the Universal Periodic Review Process to Improve Human Rights on the Ground

with

Rowan McRae

Office of International Law, Attorney-General’s Department

Darren Dick

Australian Human Rights Commission

Ben Schokman

Human Rights Law Resource Centre

Co-Chaired by Tammy Solonec, Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia and Breony Allen, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights

Monday 28 March 2011

11.45am (12.00pm start) – 1.30pm

Mallesons Stephen Jaques

Level 10, 152 St Georges Terrace, Perth

Drinks and a light lunch provided.

RSVP by 24 March to Helen at HMcCartney@als.org.au or on (08) 9265 6653

Australia’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 27 January 2011 as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a process which provides other countries the opportunity to ask questions and make recommendations regarding the human rights performance of the country under review. Australia received over 145 recommendations from 50 countries. The Government was praised for its constructive engagement with the process and for initiatives such as the national Human Rights Framework, the Apology and the commitment to ‘Close the Gap’. However, the Government also faced calls to enact a Human Rights Act, recognise same-sex marriage, abolish mandatory detention and entrench Indigenous rights in the Constitution. The Government must respond to the recommendations before the Human Rights Council’s next session in June 2011. Join our expert panel, each of whom was in Geneva for the review, to discuss the process and the ways in which we can use the UPR to promote and protect human rights on the ground.

Click here for a copy of the flyer.