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Submissions – ESC Rights
On 31 May 2011, the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and Foreign Debt tabled a report on his February 2011 country mission to Australia in the UN Human Rights Council. The mission focused on the human rights impacts and implications of Australia’s aid, development, trade and investment policies. The report contains 10 concrete recommendations for [...]
The Australian Government has a legal obligation to implement key human rights reforms, according to a new submission from the Human Rights Law Centre [submission and annexure]. The submission to the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department considers each of 145 recommendations made to Australia by the international community during Australia’s Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human [...]
The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is drafting a general comment on the right to sexual and reproductive health and has invited organisations to submit written contributions on this issue. On 8 November 2010, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre made a Submission to UN CESCR on the Right to Sexual and Reproductive [...]
Australia is to be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council through the Universal Periodic Review process in January 2011. A coalition of 68 NGOs - coordinated by the Human Rights Law Resource Centre, Kingsford Legal Centre and the National Association of Community Legal Centres - has submitted a 5 page Report to the UN Human Rights Council [...]
On 28 May 2010, the Centre made a Submission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding implementation of the 2009 Concluding Observations on Australia by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Centre’s submission outlines practical steps and measures, including legislative, administrative and financial measures, for the Australian Government to improve [...]
In January 2010, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre made a Submission to the Victorian Legislative Council Family and Community Development Committee’s inquiry into the adequacy and future directions of public housing in Victoria. The Centre submits that the future direction of public housing requires a holistic rights-based approach from government, based on the legislative [...]
The ACT Government conducted an inquiry into the operation of the ACT Human Rights Act (the HR Act), and particularly sought input into the debate on protecting economic, social and cultural rights (ESC rights) within the HR Act. The HRLRC made a submission to the inquiry, arguing that all ESC rights in the International Covenant [...]
Earlier this year the Federal Minister for the Status of Women announced a Review of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace and Agency (EOWA) and its underlying legislation (EOWW Act). The review comes at a time when indicators show a decline in women’s workplace equality. Currently, only 8.3% of Board Directorships are held [...]
In September 2009, the HRLRC prepared a Briefing Paper on Health and Human Rights in Australia for the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Anand Grover, in advance of his country mission to Australia in November and December 2009. The Briefing Paper considers a range of issues regarding realisation of the right to [...]
On 28 August 2009, the Centre made a Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth inquiry into proposed homelessness legislation for Australia. Homelessness is a human rights issue and is both a cause and a consequence of poverty and other human rights violations. Therefore, the Centre submitted that [...]
In September 2009 the Optional Protocol to the ICSECR opens for signature. The Optional Protocol to the ICESCR establishes three important mechanisms for bringing violations of economic, social and cultural rights before the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, namely an individual communication mechanism, an inter-state complaint mechanism and an inquiry procedure. On [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
In late 2008, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights called for submissions on its draft General Comment 20 on Non-Discrimination. The draft General Comment examines the various obligations contained in article 2(2) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). It also analyses the prohibited grounds of discrimination and makes [...]
On 13 March 2008, the Centre wrote to the Attorney General, the Hon Rob McClelland MP, calling on the Australian Government to strongly support the negotiation and adoption of an effective, comprehensive complaints and inquiries mechanism for the ICESCR. Click here for a copy of the letter. The UN Working Group on the Optional Protocol to [...]
On 23 November 2007, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted General Comment 19 on the Right to Social Security under article 9 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A General Comment is an authoritative statement by a treaty body of the content and application of a particular [...]
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