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Asylum Seekers and Refugees
13 September 2013Opinion pieceAustralia, Human Rights, Refugees and Asylum Seekers
A comment on the current human rights issues faced by Australia in the processing of refugees and asylum seekers -
Rights and Freedoms
14 April 2023Media ReleaseCommission welcomes banning of spit hoods by AFP
A decision by the Australian Federal Police to end the use of spit hoods has been welcomed by the Australian Human Rights Commission. Today the AFP announced the AFP and ACT police will no longer use spit hoods, and instead the AFP will provide ‘alternative equipment and implement procedures to better protect officers from spitting and biting.’ The decision follows a review initiated last year by ... -
14 December 2012Book page
HREOC Website: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
DR OZDOWSKI: I would like to formally open this public hearing which is one of a series of hearings conducted around Australia. My name is Sev Ozdowski and I'm the Human Rights Commissioner. I have two colleagues sitting with me, Mrs Robin Sullivan who is Queensland Children's Commissioner, who is assisting with the Inquiry and Dr Trang Thomas who is Professor of Psychology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology who is the second Assistant Commissioner. I also have Ms Vanessa Lesnie, sitting to my left and she is Secretary to the Inquiry and she will also ask some of the questions. -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechPresident Speech: Current issues in human rights (2011)
I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Larrakia peoples. I pay my respects to their elders both past and present. -
14 December 2012Book page
7. Refugee Status Determination for Children in Immigration Detention
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that around half of the 50 million displaced persons in the world are children. Around 10 million of these children are under the care of UNHCR. Approximately 100,000 separated children roam Western Europe.(1) During 1999 alone, more than 20,000 separated children applied for asylum in Western Europe, North America or Australia.(2) Of those 20,000 unaccompanied children, 46 travelled to Australia to seek asylum. In the same year a further 202 children sought asylum in Australia with their families.(3) -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Webpage
Taking stock of Australia’s human rights record – Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission under the Universal Periodic Review process (2010)
This significant new process involves a review of the human rights record of each member of the UN on a periodic basis (at present, every four years). Australia makes its first appearance in January 2011. -
14 December 2012Book page
Human rights - what do I need to know? (2008)
All Australians have human rights. Human rights are universal: they are for everyone, everywhere, everyday. Human rights are based on values such as freedom, equality and dignity and seek to protect our quality of life. -
14 December 2012Book page
9. Mental Health of Children in Immigration Detention
This chapter addresses the impact of the detention environment on the mental health of children and the measures taken to address their mental health needs. Consistent with the breadth of protection given to the welfare of children under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Inquiry uses the term mental health to describe the psychological well-being of children as well as diagnosed psychiatric illness. -
Legal
14 December 2012WebpageConsultation on exposure draft National Human Rights Action Plan
The Australian Human Rights Commission makes this submission to the Attorney-General’s Department on the exposure draft of a new Human Rights National Action Plan which the Department has issued for comment. -
10 April 2015Book page
2 Background and framework for promotion and protection of human rights
2.1 Scope of international obligations 2.2 National framework 2.3 Equality before the law and non-discrimination 2.4 Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers 2.5 Right to life, liberty and security of the person 2.1 Scope of international obligations Australia prides itself on its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and has announced its candidacy for election to the Human ... -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
2 July 2020Opinion piece
Blanket bans would be unacceptable
During lockdown, many of us – myself included – have become even more reliant on our mobile phones. They have kept us in contact with parents, children and grandchildren, our colleagues and friends during this difficult time. When my two-year old first saw his grandmother on a smartphone, he squealed with delight. It wasn’t quite the same as being together — he pawed at the screen to try to touch ... -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
3 February 2016Publication
The health and well-being of children in immigration detention
The health and well-being of children in immigration detention Report to the Australian Human Rights Commission Monitoring Visit to Wickham Point Detention Centre, Darwin, NT October 16 th – 18 th 2015 Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM MD MPhil MBBS FRACP FRCPCH FRCP Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Sydney Consultant Paediatrician, The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network ... -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Submissions to United Nations
Back to Submissions Index Submissions to United Nations 2017 Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (30 October 2017) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women – Information for List of Issues on Australia (18 September 2017) Information concerning Australia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (18 September 2017) CRPD ... -
Commission – General
14 December 2012Speech
National Human Rights Institutions
The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (hereafter the Australian Human Rights Commission) is one of the oldest National Human Rights Institutions in the Asia Pacific region. It was originally established in 1981 as the Human Rights Commission and then restructured in 1986 to become the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. It is a founding member and a strong supporter of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions. -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Comments by the Australian Human Rights Commission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on issues relevant to Australia’s fifth periodic report under the ICCPR (2008)
The Australian Human Rights and Commission (the Commission) provides these comments to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (the Committee) in response to the Committee’s request for information relevant to Australia’s fifth periodic report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).[1] -
14 December 2012Book page
HREOC Website: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
DR OZDOWSKI: My name is Dr Ozdowski and I am the Human Rights Commissioner and we are conducting an Inquiry into Children in Detention. To my left is Mrs Robin Sullivan who is Assistant Commissioner for the Inquiry and in her other life, she is Queensland Children's Commissioner and to my right is Professor Trang Thomas, Professor of Psychology at the Melbourne Institute of Technology and she is also Assistant Commissioner. Also to my left is Mrs Vanessa Lesnie and she is Secretary to the Inquiry. -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Submissions to parliaments and law reform bodies - Index by Committee
The Commission seeks to promote and protect human rights through submissions to parliamentary inquiries, government departments and law reform bodies. -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee
The Commission has made a submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on Australia's periodic reports under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. -
Commission – General
14 October 2019Webpage
Senate file listing: 1 Jan 2019 - 30 June 2019
SENATE FILE LIST FOR THE AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 1 JANUARY 2019 – 30 JUNE 2019 see previous File Id Name Create Date '2018/34-3 AGE DISCRIMINATION COMMISSIONER - GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE 2018 COMMUNITY RELATIONS - DISCRIMINATION & RESEARCH ENQUIRIES '2019-06-27 '2018/153-2 2018 CHILDREN'S RIGHTS REPORT UN SUBMISSIONS COMMUNITY RELATIONS - CHILDREN'S RIGHTS SUBMISSIONS '2019-03-11 '2018 ... -
Commission – General
7 November 2023Publication
Annual Report 2022-23
The Australian Human Rights Commission has been through a period of great change this financial year. Dedicated focus on governance enhancements and improving financial management has placed the Commission in a more positive financial position than it has been in recent years.