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.
Freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental human right protected by a number of international treaties and declarations, including article 18(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This right encompasses freedom of thought on all matters and the freedom to...
As part of the development of our new website we are developing pages on human rights scrutiny by reference to each area of rights and obligations set out in the main human rights treaties which have been developed by the international community and adopted by Australia in the years since the...
What is the UPR and why does it matter | Commitments made at Australia's first UPR appearance | Review of commitments | Comments What is the UPR and why does it matter The Universal Periodic Review is a process undertaken by the United Nations Human Rights Council. It involves review of the human...
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 1966 (CERD) (the Convention) was one of the first human rights treaties to be adopted by the United Nations. More than 156 countries (four-fifths of the membership of the UN) have ratified the Convention; including Australia...
The right to vote is not enjoyed equally by all Australians A healthy democracy makes sure that all members of the community have equal access to the political process. Australia is a democratic nation where governments are elected by popular vote. However, even though almost all Australians over 18...
People experiencing homelessness face violations of a wide range of human rights. Access to safe and secure housing is one of the most basic human rights. However, homelessness is not just about housing.