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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice / Indigenous Social Justice

Tribute to Lowitja O'Donoghue

Reflecting on Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue's legacy, Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO said: "In my life, as is true for countless others, Lowitja O’Donoghue has been a towering figure of social justice, committed to guaranteeing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights are recognised and responded to by Australia. She will be remembered always as a remarkable woman who lived across a sweeping history and changing times, tirelessly working with conviction, great integrity and dignity to pursue our rights.

Australia's human rights progress

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Australia is widely considered the land of the "fair go".

And while that may ring true for many people, not all in our country are yet afforded the dignity and basic rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  

As the final episode in our series commemorating the Declaration’s 75th anniversary explores, its promise in Australia remains a “work in progress”.

Learn more about our series here.

What does 'human rights' mean to you?

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10 December 2023 marked 75 years since the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In this first of a 5-part video series commemorating the anniversary from a local perspective, we hear from a diverse group of Australians about what human rights means to them.  

The Commission acknowledges this series comes at a time of major global crises. It is in the pursuit of peace, justice, and equality that we discover our common ground.

Now, more than ever, it’s time to promote and protect human rights.  

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 75 Years On Video Series

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In a video series commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we hear from a diverse group of Australians about what human rights means to them and where our nation still needs to improve.

View the rest of the series here.

Australia’s human rights champions put social justice and equality centre stage

Content type: Media Release
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Women’s equity and racial equality advocate Juliana Nkrumah AM has been awarded the prestigious Human Rights Medal at the 2023 Australian Human Rights Awards in Sydney tonight.

Other awards went to Gabriel Osborne (Young People’s Award), Northern Pictures (Media and Creative Industries Award), Advocacy Tasmania (Community Award) and the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (Law Award).

Children's rights in action: Innovations in youth justice webinar

As Australia continues to grapple with ongoing crises in its youth justice systems, this webinar explores the potential lessons our country could learn from international experiences of reform.

Over the course of five years, the Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Ireland adopted a Children’s Rights Policy Framework and implemented evidence-based and human-rights-based changes to its structure and operations.

Children's rights in action: Innovations in youth justice webinar

As Australia continues to grapple with ongoing crises in its youth justice systems, this webinar explores the potential lessons our country could learn from international experiences of reform.

Over the course of five years, the Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Ireland adopted a Children’s Rights Policy Framework and implemented evidence-based and human-rights-based changes to its structure and operations.

Commissioners distressed by death of boy after being detained in Perth prison

Content type: Media Release
Published:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO, and National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds have issued a joint statement following the death of a First Nations teenager who had been held in a youth detention unit at the Casuarina adult prison in Perth.

Commissioner Oscar: “My thoughts are with the family and community of the 16-year-old boy who passed overnight after being found unresponsive in his cell at Casuarina Prison. This is incredibly sad.

"Prison is no place for our children.

Closing the Gap in a Divided Family - June Oscar feature in the Aus

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar says forging a relationship with her white relatives has given their extended families a different perspective on the voice - feature article by Victoria Laurie in the Australian.

The referendum is Australia’s gateway moment

Read Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar's op-ed in support of the Voice Referendum, published in The Guardian Australia. "We’ve been advocating for a permanent representative body for decades. My old people wanted this. My family in remote Australia facing unbelievable struggles daily want this."