Universal Periodic Review – Australia 2015

Anna Brown 22 October 2014

www.hrlc.org.au

Overview

About the Universal Periodic Review

Australia’s review from an NGO perspective

Outcomes and strategy for this review

About the Universal Periodic Review

Human Rights Council

All nations

Nature – political / diplomatic

UN Human Rights System

Security Council

Tribunals ICTY, ICTR

UN Charter

UN Specialized Agencies ie:

• UNDP

• UNHCR

• UNICEF

ECOSOC Secretary-General & UN SecretariatOffice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

General Assembly

International Criminal Court

(ICC)

CCPR, CESCR, CERD, CEDAW, CAT, CRC, CMW

Human Rights CouncilSpecial Rapporteurs

Periodic Review

Treaty bodies

What’s the point?

Why use the international human rights system?

Civil society plays a crucial role

Australia’s review - timeline

23 March 2013 – NGO reports due

Compilation of UN information

Compilation of ‘stakeholder information’ (10 pages

maximum)

20 July 2015 – Government report due

5 – 9 October 2015 – Pre-session Info session

November 2015 – Australia’s appearance at HRC

Jan / Feb 2016 – Adoption of the ‘Outcomes Report’

What really happened?

Coalition building

Report writing

Meeting embassies and consulates

Lobbying – Australia and Geneva

Lobbying in Geneva

Briefing country missions

Formal and informal briefing of missionsMission briefing video

The Australian mission’s eventAFL address

Questions in advance Human Rights Council session

Networking

The United Nations

The Human Rights Council

Australia’s review

Interactive dialogue Australia’s presentation Statements / Questions from 50 countries Favourite nations

Outcomes

145 recommendations Australia’s response (90% accepted in whole

or in part) Key areas: Human Rights Act, recognise

same-sex marriage, abolish mandatory immigration detention and entrench the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution

Example: Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: Conditions of detention - OP-CAT Discrimination laws Social inclusion and poverty reduction Police use of force Land rights Compensation for Stolen Generations Constitutional Reform and Treaty Participation in Government

Group discussion

Insights / learnings from last UPR What worked? What didn’t work? Who isn’t at the table? (eg. older people last

time)

What happened next?

Additional voluntary commitments UPR recommendations went into National

Human Rights Action Plan Follow up by AHRC on implementation Mid-term report in June 2013 NACLC report Now: ambivalent status of NHRAP

AHRC Presentation

Implementation of recommendations

Group discussion: how much of this UPR should we focus on failure to implement vs new, emerging issues

Facilitated discussion

Thematic areas Intersectional issues Joint vs separate reports Advisory committee process Templates for input Increasing sector engagement Increasing domestic political impact

The end

Questions?