ICCPR: Major NGO Report on Australia to UN Human Rights Committee

In September 2008, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, together with the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Kingsford Legal Centre, submitted a major NGO report to the Human Rights Committee regarding Australia. The report, Freedom, Respect, Equality, Dignity: Action - NGO Submission to the Human Rights Committee [PDF], was compiled with the assistance of substantial contributions from over 50 NGOs across Australia. It is endorsed, in whole or in part, by over 200 NGOs.  The Executive Summary of the report has also been translated into French and Spanish.

The report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of, and make targeted recommendations regarding, the realisation of civil and political human rights in Australia, including:

  • the lack of constitutional or legislative recognition and protection of civil and political rights;

  • groups within society that remain vulnerable to discrimination, such as Indigenous peoples, women and children, people with disability, asylum seekers and gay and lesbian couples;

  • Australia's counter terrorism laws and measures;

  • Australia's immigration law, policy and practice; and

  • the treatment of people in detention, including prisoners and people in involuntary psychiatric detention.

The report will be considered by the Human Rights Committee in New York in March 2009.

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