The year 2048 will mark the 100th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and what will we have to show for it? J. Kirk Boyd provides an answer in his book 2048: Humanity’s Agreement to Live Together, in which he proposes the drafting and implementation of an International Convention on Human Rights, supported […]
5 July 2011 In their submission to the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee Inquiry (SARC) and review of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV) has revealed the important role that the Charter plays in safeguarding and protecting human rights. The Charter, which came into effect on […]
23 June 2011 A new parliamentary report tabled in Parliament, Doing Time-Time for Doing: Indigenous Youth in the criminal justice system has highlighted the over representation of young Indigenous people in the criminal justice system with statistics showing that Indigenous youth are 28 times more likely to be incarcerated than other youth in Australia. The […]
21 June 2011 On Friday 17 June, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a historic resolution on the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender people that “seeks equal rights for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation.” The resolution passed following a tense debate and narrow vote, in which African states accused South Africa of breaking […]
DATE: 15 June 2011 The Victorian Equal Opportunity Amendment Bill passed the Upper House of the Victorian Parliament earlier this morning, following five hours of debate. The changes to the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act introduced by the Bailleu Government was defeated in parliament when Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge missed the vote, the first time […]
DATE: 15 June 2011 A recent Federal Court ruling has highlighted the lack of protection for students who have severe social and behaviourial disabilities. The Walker family sued the Victorian Department of Education for discriminating against their son who suffers from multiple disabilities including Aspergers Syndrome and dyslexia, but the court ruled in favour of […]
Read Part I of this article here. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? There are no easy solutions to the challenges that HIV/AIDS presents today to organised religion. Pessimists would say there are no solutions at all. The patriarchal organisation of religion, the vested interests, the ignorant literalism of scriptural interpretation, the anti-scientific attitude towards new knowledge, […]
Each week, teams of lawyers around the country visit soup kitchens, crisis shelters and other welfare agencies to provide advice and assistance to some of the 105,000 Australians who experience homelessness every night. While we can’t always find them a roof, we can help them address some of the other barriers they face. The reality […]
William A. Schabas is director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway, where he holds the chair in human rights law. He is also an Associate Professor at Middlesex University, in London, and an honorary professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in Beijing. He is currently […]
DATE: 26 May 2011 A High Court challenge could have a profound effect on the right to freedom of political communication, participation and association under the Australian constitution. The challenge brought forward by a Palm Island indigenous activist who was convicted of rioting after the death in custody of Cameron Doomadgee relates to a gag […]
DATE: 26 May 2011 The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay has reiterated long-standing concerns by the international community that Australia’s mandatory immigration detention regime is in breach of Australia’s international human rights obligations and criticised racist and inhumane elements within Australia. In a press conference held yesterday, as part of a six-day visit […]
Kon Karapanagiotidis started the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) nearly ten years ago, on 8 June 2001, as a practical class project for his welfare studies students. From that little food bank in Footscray the ASRC has grown to provide 23 different services, including legal help, English classes and a health service. Right Now spoke […]
