Scrutiny by human rights treaty bodies

Each of the main human rights treaties requires parties to submit regular reports to a specialist Committee on their implementation of their obligations.

These Committees are composed of independent experts elected by the parties to the treaty. A number of eminent Australian experts have served on these Committees, including 

• Professor Ivan Shearer (Member, Human RIghts Committee)
• Professor Phillip Alston (Rapporteur; Chair, Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights)
• Elizabeth Evatt AC (Member, Human Rights Committee; Chair, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women)
• Professor Ron McCallum AO (Rapporteur; Chair, Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)

ICCPR

• Australia's List of Issues Prior to Reporting for the ICCPR [Word or PDF]
• Response of the Australian Government to request for further information [Word or PDF] - August 2012
• Written Response of the Australian Government to Concluding Observations on 5th periodic report [ Word or PDF]  - December 2010
• Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee on Australia's 5th periodic report [Word or PDF] 
• Concluding observations on 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th perioduc reports (1983, 1988, 2001)
• Australia's 4th periodic report (1999)
• Australia's 3rd periodic report (1998) 

See also Attorney-General's Department Treaty Reporting page 

Commission engagement

• Commission submission on list of issues prior to 6th Periodic Report (August 2012)
• Updated information from the Commission on Australia’s implementation of the ICCPR (2009)
• Comments by the  Commission to the Human Rights Committee on issues relevant to Australia’s fifth periodic report under the ICCPR (2008)
• Commission submission to the Human Rights Committee on Australia's 3rd and 4th periodic reports (2001)

More information

• Human Rights Committee homepage
• Joint NGO submission on Australia's list of issues and Human Rights Law Centre submission (PDF), August 2012
• Reporting guidelines

ICESCR

• Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights homepage
• Reporting guidelines
• Commission page on scrutiny under the ICESCR
• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade human rights page also provides information on ICESCR reporting

Commission engagement

• Review of Australia’s Fourth Periodic Report on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (2009) 

• Submission to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2 December 2001)

CERD

• Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination homepage
• Reporting guidelines
• The Attorney-General's Department Treaty Reporting page provides links to reporting under CERD

Commission engagement

• Information concerning Australia and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (2010)
• See our Race Discrimination: International Activities page for more information on the Commission's engagement in this area

CEDAW

• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women homepage
• Reporting Guidelines
• Links to Australia's reports to the CEDAW Committee and  concluding observations by the Committee are available from the Office for Women

Commission engagement

• Australia’s Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2010)
• See our Sex discrimination: International Activities page for more information on the Commission's engagement in this area

CAT

• Committee Against Torture homepage
• Reporting guidelines [MS Word]
• The Attorney-General's Department Treaty Reporting page provides links to reporting under CAT including list of issues prior to 5th periodic report (expected 2013)

Commission engagement

• Letter to the Committee against Torture regarding issues for Australia (2010)
• Australia’s compliance with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (2008)
• Australia's compliance with the Convention Against Torture (2007)

CRC

• Committee on the Rights of the Child homepage
• Reporting guidelines [MS Word]
• The Attorney-General's Department Treaty Reporting page provides links to Australia's reporting under the CRC

Commission engagement

• Information concerning Australia and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (2012)

CRPD

• Committee on the Rights of People with Disabilities homepage
• Reporting guidelines [Word or PDF]
• The Attorney-General's Department Treaty Reporting page provides links to reporting under the CRPD

Commission engagement

• See our Disability Rights: International Engagement page for information on our engagement in this area