'Profound Disquiet' on Human Rights in Australia by Margaret Reynolds National President Of The United Nations Association Of Australia 1:58pm 2nd May, 2003   (First published 25th April, 2003)    In a statement to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 59th session, the Australian Council for Overseas Aid (ACFOA) commented on "the profound disquiet felt by many in Australia" on a range of human rights issues.    The address to the Commission was made by Margaret Reynolds, national president of the United Nations Association of Australia, in her capacity as leader of the Australian NGO delegation. ACFOA represents more than 90 aid and humanitarian organisations in Australia.    Professor Reynolds said, "This 59th session of the Commission is a significant one for Australia. Australia is taking its turn as vice-chair at a time when our country is under scrutiny at home and abroad for its actions on a number of fronts, which in many cases have been found to be against various United Nations Human Rights instruments, many of which Australia once took a leading role in creating.    "For this reason, a six member coalition of Australian civil society organisations and individuals has come to Geneva to observe the Commission and Australia’s role here, and to put forward an alternative perspective on human rights in Australia.    "In doing this we have observed that the profound disquiet felt by many in Australia on issues including rights of seekers of asylum, indigenous rights, environmental rights and the independence of Australia’s own human rights institutions are shared by many observers to this Commission, particularly those from organisations based in our own Asia Pacific region.    "With this in mind, speaking on behalf of ACFOA and with the support of my delegation, I call on the Australian government to act to restore Australia’s reputation as a leader in the promulgation and protection of human rights. In particular we ask the Australian government to:    Meet its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and end the prolonged detention of those seeking asylum in Australia (including those detained offshore), and to work with other governments and institutions to improve protection for refugees at each stage of their movement from their homes. We urge the government to immediately release all 318 children in detention, and also those people who are not refugees but cannot be returned to their homelands, this last in line with a Federal Court decision handed down this week.    Contribute its share of funds to rebuild Iraq, focusing on the country’s poorest people. In line with the special circumstances surrounding Iraq, we ask that this be funded through an increase in the aid budget and not by cutting existing programs, including the reconstruction of Afghanistan.    Continue to work to reform the treaties processes and other operations of this Commission, with a view to ensuring that opportunities for quality debate, participation and impact are strengthened.    Play a constructive role in furthering work on international conventions including disabled, children’s and environmental rights in line with Australia’s treaty obligations and to maintain the integrity of Australia’s own Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.    Promote the rights of indigenous peoples to land, culture and livelihood both internationally and in Australia.    Act on its endorsement of the UN Millennium Development Goals by increasing Australia’s overseas aid budget by 0.05% of Gross National Income per year until 2009, sufficient to contribute Australia’s fair share of meeting the Goals. In this International Year of Freshwater we urge the Australian Government to increase spending on safe water and sanitation programs for the world’s poorest people by $60 million in the coming budget.    "While urging action on the above points, we recognise the Australian Government’s real contribution to human rights in the Asia Pacific region, particularly through the Centre for Democratic Institutions, the Asia Pacific Forum and in assisting the establishment of several national human rights institutions.    We wish to commend the Australian mission for its excellent vice chairmanship of this Commission and for the active steps made by the mission to be accessible to the non-government sector, and particularly the Australian civil society delegation".    The speech was delivered to address items covering specific groups and individuals, migrant workers, minorities, mass exoduses and displaced persons and other vulnerable groups and individuals. It addressed the Report of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of human rights as well as items covering promotion and protection of human rights, status of the international covenants on human rights; human rights defenders; information and education; science and environment.    Under a separate agenda item it discussed effective functioning of human rights mechanisms; treaty bodies; national institutions and regional arrangements. It also addressed adaptation and strengthening of the United Nations machinery for human rights; as well as advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights; plus a rationalisation of the work of the Commission.    For more information, ACFOA (02) 6285 1816 e-mail: main@acfoa.asn.au Email Margaret Reynolds Visit the related web page
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