Complaints

Projects

Immigration detention centre in dusty field
Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Immigration detention and human rights

The human rights of people who are in immigration detention are of special concern to the Commission. Liberty is a fundamental human right, recognised in major human rights instruments to which Australia is a party.

Cartoon of Megan Mitchell with kids. Speech bubble:"Did you know there are 5.5 million children (everyone under 18) in Australia? That's a lot of you!
Children's Rights

Children's Rights Reports

The National Children's Commissioner produces a report every year on the state of children's rights in Australia.
A compilation of the front covers of the Children's Rights Reports 2013-2017
Children's Rights

Child-friendly versions of the Children's Rights Reports

What are the Children's Rights Reports? The National Children's Commissioner has to submit a report every year on the enjoyment and exercise of human rights by children and young people in Australia. This page contains an overview of all of the child friendly versions of the Children's Rights...
A woman in a wheelchair is in her home using her laptop.
Disability Rights

Australia's Disability Strategy

Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-2031 Australia's Disability Strategy (the Strategy) builds on the outcomes designed by the first National Disability Strategy 2010-2020. The Strategy aims to help create an inclusive Australian society that guarantees people with disability can achieve their...
Ship at port
Business and Human Rights

Director Briefings on responding to the Modern Slavery Act (2019)

Throughout October and November 2019 the Commission, the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and KPMG Australia co-hosted a range of panel events for company directors in Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. The event series titled, Directors Briefing: Modern Slavery...
teacher showing globe to class
Children's Rights

Reporting to the United Nations on Children's Rights

In September 2019, Australia appeared before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. This UN Committee monitors Australia’s progress in fulfilling its obligations under: • the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) • the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the...
Farmer in a rice field
Business and Human Rights

Australian Dialogues on Business and Human Rights (2014-2019)

Between 2014 and 2019 the Commission and the Global Compact Network Australia co-hosted the annual Australian Dialogue on Business and Human Rights. The Dialogues are multi-sector, multi-stakeholder events, that bring together leaders and experts to progress the business and human rights agenda...
RAAF smoking ceremony
Sex Discrimination

Indigenous Defence Project

Defence has requested the Australian Human Rights Commission to complete a project on the attraction, recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Defence Australian Public Service (Defence APS).
Muslim couple on the beach
Race Discrimination

Sharing the Stories of Australian Muslims

The Race Discrimination Commissioner is undertaking a project to listen to and share the stories of Australian Muslims. Specifically, the project aims to build robust intelligence about the experience of Australian Muslims to inform the Australian Human Rights Commission’s work in promoting social...
children at the sunset
Rights and Freedoms

Free and Equal Conference

The Free and Equal conference was the centrepiece of a national conversation and once-in-a-decade event. The conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Sydney on Tuesday 8 October 2019.
distraught older woman
Age Discrimination

Risk of Homelessness in Older Women

With many older women at risk of homelessness, the Age Discrimination Commissioner is working with sectors to develop innovative solutions to assist this rapidly growing group of women.
children smiling
Children's Rights

Child Safe Organisations

The National Principles aim to provide a nationally consistent approach to creating organisational cultures that foster child safety and wellbeing across all sectors in Australia.