In January/February 2021, Australia’s human rights record will face intense scrutiny when the Australian Government appears before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for its major four yearly human rights review, called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
In advance of the review, over 200 NGOs across Australia have endorsed Australia’s Human Rights Scorecard: Australia’s 2020 United Nations UPR NGO Coalition Report. Prepared by the Human Rights Law Centre, Caxton Legal Centre and Kingsford Legal Centre, working in consultation with an Advisory Group and other expert NGOs, this Report provides a comprehensive insight into the state of human rights in Australia before COVID-19.
Setting a baseline for monitoring human rights in Australia
This Report was finalised in March 2020 at a time of unprecedented challenges for Australia. Australia had just emerged from a bushfire crisis in the summer of 2019/2020, bringing with it significant human rights implications. Now Australia and the world are facing the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The schedule for Australia’s Universal Periodic Review has shifted back as the United Nations grapples with how to promote and protect human rights in the face of restrictions on travel and gatherings. We are releasing this Report to you now, ahead of the revised deadline, as it offers an important snapshot of Australia’s human rights challenges at the start of 2020. An update to the report will be prepared for submission to the UN in July.
How Australia’s response to the COVID-19 crisis will impact human rights in Australia is uncertain. But we can be sure that its impact will not be felt equally, and it will likely exacerbate existing human rights problems. Our UPR NGO Coalition invites you to join us in using this Report as a baseline for monitoring the evolving impact of COVID-19 on human rights in Australia.
UPR 2020-21 Factsheets
Following the lodgement of the UPR NGO Coalition Report, the Australian NGO Coalition has prepared a series of factsheets to ensure that UN member states are provided with credible and accurate information about key human rights issues in Australia.
These thematic factsheets build on the Coalition's Report, giving further background on the key issues and providing context for our suggested recommendations. The factsheets will be used to brief and lobby embassies and missions in Australia and Geneva. Thank you to the members of the UPR NGO Advisory Committee that assisted with preparing these materials.
Opportunities for NGO Involvement
As an Australian NGO, you can support our UPR NGO Coalition by circulating and promoting our Report through your broad NGO and civil society networks, and using it in your own advocacy.
You can still endorse the report – in whole or in part – by completing this form and we will add your organisation to future updates of the report.
You can also support our UPR NGO Coalition through assisting us with domestic and international advocacy surrounding the Report in the lead up to Australia’s UPR review next year. For more information about our Report advocacy process, and how you can be involved, please contact us at upr@hrlc.org.au.
UPR Pre-Session Statements
Advisory Group Committee
Hugh de Kretser, Human Rights Law Centre (UPR NGO Coordinating Committee)
Bridget Burton, Caxton Legal Centre (UPR NGO Coordinating Committee)
Emma Golledge, Kingsford Legal Centre (UPR NGO Coordinating Committee)
Edwina MacDonald, Australian Council of Social Service
Cathryn Eatock, Indigenous Peoples Organisation
Roxanne Moore, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service
Jacqueline Phillips, Australian Council of Social Service
Kate Finch, People with Disability Australia
Carolyn Fromader, Women with Disabilities Australia
Helen Dalley-Fisher, Equality Rights Alliance
Rebecca Eckard, Refugee Council of Australia
Greg Rohan, Immigration Advice and Rights Centre
Corey Irlam, COTA Australia
Bill Mitchell, Townsville Community Law Inc.
Mathew Keeley, Youth Law Australia
Joel Clark, Amnesty International
Maria Graterol, Community Legal Centres Australia
UPR 2020 timeline
9 July 2020: NGO Report(s) Due
3 August 2020: Australian Government 'National Report' Due
January/February 2021: Australia's Review at the UN in Geneva
Updates, media releases and oral statements
Over 200 organisations outline human rights concerns at outset of COVID crisis.
Australian Government to face scrutiny on human rights track record at the UN (30 October 2019).
Australian government ignores key recommendations from major UN human rights review.
NGO Coordinating Committee
Edwina MacDonald, Human Rights Law Centre
Bridget Burton, Caxton Legal Centre
Emma Golledge, Kingsford Legal Centre
Contact: upr@hrlc.org.au