Human Rights Law:

Human rights are designed to promote equality and to protect the freedom and wellbeing of global citizens irrespective of their background or religion. Human rights have received international recognition through the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. There have also been international laws created to provide greater focus on specific rights such as the:

• Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women;
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;
• Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities;
• Convention on the Rights of the Child;
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Australia is a party to the abovementioned treaties on human rights. Australia has ratified its obligations under these international treaties by incorporating its key obligations into Federal law, for example, the anti-discrimination legislation which prohibits discrimination on the basis of a person’s race, sex, age, sexual preference, religion, pregnancy or carer responsibilities and disability to name but a few grounds.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (“AHRC”) monitors Australia’s compliance under these international human rights treaties and also has the jurisdiction to receive complaints about alleged contraventions of Federal laws seeking to domestically protect human rights, for example, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Act. The AHRC assists an aggrieved party in reaching a resolution to their complaint through an informal conciliatory approach. Legal avenues may also be available to aggrieved persons through the Federal Court system.

If you wish to speak to one of our Discrimination Law & Human Rights Law Lawyers, please contact our firm by telephone on (02) 9233 4048 or send an email to info@navado.com.au. 

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