Inaugural NGO Human Rights Forum
Joint media release: Attorney-General, Robert McClelland MP and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith MP
23 June 2010
Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, today hosted the inaugural Non-Government Organisations (NGO) Human Rights Forum.
The Forum is a key initiative of the recently launched Australian Human Rights Framework and establishes for the first time, a comprehensive dialogue with NGOs on domestic and international human rights issues.
Representatives from over fifty NGOs attended the Forum and were briefed on practical measures the Government is taking to protect and promote human rights at home and abroad, including:
- investing over $12 million in a comprehensive suite of education initiatives to promote a greater understanding of human rights across the community;
- prohibiting torture and preventing the reintroduction of the death penalty in Australia;
- enhancing scrutiny of legislation for compliance with international human rights obligations;
- establishing minimum standards for those with a disability to access public premises;
- combining federal anti-discrimination laws into a single Act; and
- increasing engagement with key United Nations and Asia-Pacific regional human rights organisations to play our part in strengthening the rule of law and build human rights capacity internationally.
Mr McClelland announced that the Government will also invest $2 million in the Human Rights Framework - Education Grants Program.
The Program, which will open for applications from 1 July, will support NGO and community groups to deliver, at the grass roots level, initiatives that enhance broader community understanding of human rights.
Mr Smith reaffirmed Australia's participation in the United Nations human rights system and announced the appointment of an Advisory Panel to prioritise projects funded through the existing Human Rights Grants Scheme.
For the first time, an independent panel of human rights experts will make recommendations on funding projects to protect and promote human rights across Asia, Pacific, Africa, Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Scheme, co-managed by AusAID and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, provides funding to NGOs and human rights institutions based or operating in developing countries to protect and promote human rights in direct and practical ways.
Media contacts
- Adam Siddique (McClelland): 0407 473 630
- Foreign Minister's Office: (02) 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison: (02) 6261 1555