Reports to UN Human Rights Bodies

ICESCR: Committee Releases Landmark Report on Australia (May 2009)

UN Committee Calls on Australia to Invest in Human Rights in Landmark Report
Historic First as Treaty Body Calls on Australia to Address Climate Change and Increase Foreign Aid
The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has urged Australia to make human rights a priority at a time when the global financial crisis threatens the [...]

ICESCR: NGO Reports for UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Review of Australia (May 2009)

The UN Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights will review Australia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva on 5 and 6 May 2009. 
On 4 May 2009, a non-government delegation, comprising representatives from the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Kingsford Legal Centre, will brief the [...]

ICCPR: UN Human Rights Committee releases Concluding Observations on Australia (April 2009)

The UN Human Rights Committee has released its Concluding Observations following a review of Australia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.  The Committee’s recommendations on Australia are the first since 2000 and an important test for the Rudd Government in light of its Security Council bid and its stated commitment to [...]

ICCPR: NGO Reports for UN Human Rights Committee Review of Australia (March 2009)

The UN Human Rights Committee will review the state of human rights in Australia in March 2009 in New York.
On 16 and 23 March, the Committee will be briefed by a coalition of leading Australian human rights organisations, including the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Amnesty International.  On [...]

ICCPR: Draft General Comment on First Optional Protocol (Oct 2008)

During its 92nd and 93rd sessions held in March and July 2008 respectively, the Human Rights Committee initiated the drafting of a new General Comment on States parties’ obligations under the first Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The Committee has sought comments on the Draft General Comment from interested parties, [...]

CAT: Implementation of Recommendations of UN Committee against Torture on Australia (Sept 2008)

On 16 May 2008, the Committee against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment issued its Concluding Observations on Australia. 
The Concluding Observations included 27 recommendations concerning Australia’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The Australian Government has called for submissions from [...]

ICCPR: Major NGO Report on Australia to UN Human Rights Committee (Sept 2008)

In September 2008, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, together with the National Association of Community Legal Centres and Kingsford Legal Centre, submitted a major NGO report to the Human Rights Committee regarding Australia.
The report, Freedom, Respect, Equality, Dignity: Action – NGO Submission to the Human Rights Committee [PDF] [Word], was compiled with the assistance of substantial contributions [...]

CAT: UN Committee Against Torture’s Concluding Observations on Australia (May 2008)

The UN Committee Against Torture has issued its Concluding Observations on Australia following a review of Australia’s compliance with the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment at its 40th Session in Geneva in May 2008.
The Human Rights Law Resource Centre prepared a major Report on Australia’s Compliance with the Convention against Torture (April [...]

CAT: Submission to UN Committee Against Torture in response to Draft General Comment No 2 (Aug 2007)

On 24 August 2007, the Centre made a Submission to the UN Committee against Torture in response to Draft General Comment No 2.
The Draft General Comment is of significant importance to the normative development of international human rights law.
Although the prohibition against torture is a non-derogable human right and a peremptory norm of customary international [...]

NGO Reports: Response to Australian Government’s Common Core Document (July 2007)

On 25 July 2007, the Australian Government submitted a report to the United Nations on the performance of its human rights obligations under the two major international human rights treaties, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 
A coalition of human rights organisations and community groups, including [...]