Australia not credible as chair of UN human rights forum

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights calls on the Australian Government to change its attitude to human rights before taking on a senior role in the United Nations on Monday.

For the first time, Australia will chair the annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which commences on 15 March in Geneva. “Australia’s role as Chair of the CHR raises a real credibility issue”, says Simon Rice, President of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights.

Australia is consistently out of step with the UN, and most of its members, on human rights issues. It takes the chair of the UN’s most important human rights body at the same time as it is one of very few countries consistently failing to support a host of recent UN resolutions on human rights.

Australia is in a small minority not supporting UN resolutions that promote human rights including rights to mental and physical health, the right to development, the right to food, and prevention of coercive economic measures against developing countries.

“Australia’s credibility as chair of the Commission depends on its willingness both to support UN initiatives and to act effectively at home”, Rice says.

“In light of the Government’s comments on gay adoptions in the ACT, how can the world expect leadership from Australia on a proposed resolution to end discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation?”, asks Rice.

Australia has already signalled that it will join the USA in opposing a resolution at the Commission for a special mechanism to monitor the human rights impact of counter-terrorist measures. Australia has said it will use its position as chair to push an agenda for reform of the UN human rights monitoring procedures.

Last year Australia’s only proposed resolution was in support of national human rights institutions. Since then the Australian Government repeated its attempts to undermine the role and authority of Australia’s own national human rights body, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

“How can the Australian Government be taken seriously?”, Rice asks.

“It opposes the ACT’s Human Rights Act, refuses to deal with mandatory sentencing, continues to subject asylum seekers to indefinite detention, and wants to allow discrimination against people with a drug dependency.”

The Commission, which meets annually, is the UN’s principal human rights inter-governmental policy body. Mr Mike Smith, Australia’s Ambassador to the UN, will Chair the Commission from 15 March to 23 April.

Contact Simon Rice: 0408 088 024

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This page last updated 4th May 2004