Universal Periodic Review

Universal Periodic Review (UPR) 2015

Australia will appear before the international community at the United Nations Human Rights Council for its second Universal Periodic Review on 9 November 2015.

The UPR is a time to reflect on Australia’s human rights record and the extent to which the 145 recommendations made in 2011 have been implemented. President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Prof Gillian Triggs, noted in her address to the United Nations Human Rights Council that only 11% of the recommendations accepted in whole or in part by the Australian Government have been fully implemented.

As part of Australia’s review, many NGOs have contributed to a joint NGO submission about Australia’s human rights record, including Women’s Legal Service NSW.  190 organisations have endorsed the report.

• Downland: Australia’s 2nd Universal Periodic Review
  Joint NGO Submission on behalf of the Australian NGO Coalition
  March 2015

• Read the joint Media Release 6 November 2015
• Read the joint Media Release 1 April 2015

• Download: Joint NGO Report on Australia’s Human Rights Record
  National Association of Community Legal Centres, 6 June 2014

This is an update on Australia’s progress towards achieving the recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Council in our last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2011. The report has been prepared by the National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC) with support from 64 NGOs across Australia.

Universal Periodic Review (UPR) 2011

On 27 January 2011, the UN Human Rights Council reviewed Australia’s human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. Women’s Legal Service NSW contributed to the NGO materials that were prepared for the review and was represented in the NGO delegation to the review. Australia’s next Review will occur in 2015.

UPR Resources

• Draft UN Report on Australia
• Australian Government Report
• Joint NGO Submission 
• Australian Human Rights Commission Submission

UPR NGO Advocacy Resources

• UPR Recommendations by Theme  (prepared by Kingsford Legal Centre)
• Australian NGO Coalition’s Recommendations specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Australian NGO Coalition’s Recommendations,  Information Booklet and Thematic Fact Sheets 
• Updates from the Australian NGO Delegation
• Australian NGO Recommendations for Voluntary Commitments

Our submissions to government about the UPR

• Submission to the Australian Government on its Draft Universal Periodic Review Report
• Initial submission to the Australian Government
• Submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission on its draft submission