Projects

Rights and Freedoms

OPCAT: Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture

(OPCAT) is an international agreement aimed at preventing torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

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.

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...

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.

Disability Rights

Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability The Australian government announced the establishment of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (Disability Royal Commission) on 5 April 2019. This was in...

International

HRTC highlights newsletter - April 2016

Working internationally to advance human rights Welcome Welcome to the first bi-annual newsletter for the Human Rights Technical Cooperation (HRTC) Programs. HRTC Highlights is a new initiative that will provide you with updates from our international human rights activities. This edition highlights...

Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Transfer of asylum seekers to third countries

Learn how the Australian government introduced third-country processing for asylum seekers who came to Australia by boat without a valid visa in 2012.

Immigration detention, asylum seekers and refugees

The Commission seeks to ensure that the human rights of all people held in immigration detention in Australia are protected. The Commission has focused its recent immigration detention work on the conditions and treatment of asylum seekers, refugees and children, because they have specific...

Rights and Freedoms

Counter-terrorism and human rights

Since the events in the United States on 11 September 2001, the Australian Government has introduced more than 40 new counter-terrorism laws. Amongst other things, these laws have created:

Rights and Freedoms

Prisoners Rights

Prisoners, just like all other people, are entitled to enjoy their human rights. Prisoners can make complaints to the Commission about human rights breaches and discrimination that occurs in prison.

Race Discrimination

In our own words - African Australians: A review of human rights and social inclusion issues (2010)

In 2007, the former Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tom Calma, had a vision to develop a human rights initiative based on the experiences of African Australians, to inform future policy and programs.