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Watch Human Rights Medal winner Rosemary Kayess present the 2020 Human Rights Day Oration. Rosemary Kayess is a leading human rights advocate for people with disability in Australia and worldwide. Rosemary contributed to drafting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and successfully lobbied for its ratification in Australia. Last year, Rosemary was …

Protecting public health and protecting human rights are not mutually exclusive choices – but how do we keep the balance between the two? What safeguards do we need to protect rights and freedoms in Australia and prevent the ‘creeping authoritarianism’ we have witnessed elsewhere in the world? These were just some of the big questions of our time discussed by the panellists during the …

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “everyone is entitled” to all rights and freedoms, “without distinction of any kind”. But 75 years since its creation, disability rights advocate Hannah Diviney says Australia needs to do more to fulfill that promise. In episode 3 of our series commemorating the UDHR’s anniversary, hear the story of ‘Missing Perspectives’, a global news…

Receiving her award, Young People’s Human Rights Medal Winner Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts said, “The system does not work for our kids who are incarcerated - my mind and my spirit can't help but think of those young people that aren't here right now. “I ask that every single person assess your privilege and show up on the front line. We need to amplify those voices and we need to raise those…

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.

'Racism. It Stops With Me' is a national campaign calling on Australians who have not had lived experience of racism to reflect on its causes and impacts and commit to action. No matter how challenging the conversation, we need to talk about racism and the causes of inequality. By taking a stand against racism, we can build a fair and equal society – for all.

2022 Kep Enderby Memorial Lecture, delivered by the Attorney-General of Australia, The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP. A panel discussion on online hate and the need for legislative reform followed the lecture, moderated by Jeremy Fernandez from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The panel was comprised of experts on online hate and anti-racism action, Dr Matteo Vergani, Rita Jabri…

Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO, winner of the 2021 Human Rights Medal, delivered the annual Human Rights Day Oration at the 2022 Human Rights Awards. She called for structural reform and self-determination for First Nations people: “Departments of child protection need to be replaced by empowered community-controlled organisations and true self determination. Child prisons and

New technology can make our community more inclusive – but we need smart design that works for everyone. The Australian Human Rights Commission's new report on Human Rights and Technology recommends new standards to ensure accessible technology for all, as Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow explains. Read more: https://tech.humanrights.gov.au

Every Child, in Every Community, Needs a Fair Go. National Child Protection Week, 5-11 Sept, 2021

Every year the Commission holds the Human Rights Awards to celebrate human rights achievements. However, given the extraordinary circumstances of 2020 we believe a new and different approach is needed to celebrate the many human rights heroes who have emerged this year. Stay connected with us on Facebook/Instagram for further announcements or sign up for our newsletter.

The Honourable Justice Peter McClellan AM and Chrissie Foster have won the prestigious 2018 Human Rights Medal for their enormous contribution to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Young People’s Human Rights Medal went to Saxon Mullins, who received a standing ovation. Saxon told her story of sexual assault on national television and highlighted the…