ALHR Newsletters

In my last newsletter at the end of August, I mentioned that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women had issued its closing remarks as the final part of its review of Australia?s performance under the treaty.

Starting with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, the human rights treaties and declarations adopted by Australia have the effect of common standards against which our performance as a country against those standards willingly undertaken can be measured. The United Nations processes set up under the treaties provide a formal process of measurement against those standards. The processes also provide an opportunity for non-government organisations interested in the protection of human rights to ensure that the processes are lively and well-informed.

Edwina MacDonald?s summary of the CEDAW processes leading to the Closing Remarks provides a vivid picture of ALHR?s contributions in that regard. However, the measure of success of such a process does not stop with the production of a fine document by the Committee. As ALHR members, we can contribute by being aware of the Closing Remarks and by feeding their recommendations into the local political processes of which we are each a part whether they involve local women?s groups, our local law society or bar association or the office of our local political representative.

Edwina?s article is on our activities page here.