Australian Human Rights Commission
Annual Report 2021–22
This included four individual interviews with key stakeholders and one
roundtable with ten key stakeholders.
A draft report was provided to the Paul Ramsay Foundation on 30 May 2022. It
found that by numerous measures, Australian children are going backwards –
educational outcomes, mental health, housing insecurity, rising disadvantage and
child safety concerns. While there are many programs and organisations working
to address these issues, they are fragmented, predominantly reactionary rather
than preventative, and largely failing to scale despite the growing evidence of
what works. There is a need for a much more coordinated and ambitious agenda
to improve child wellbeing in Australia.
Outcomes 1.2
Law and policy makers, at all levels, consider and address the human rights
impacts we identify through our submissions, inquiries, research, reports and
United Nations engagement.
What this looks like
Parliamentary committee inquiry reports adopt the human rights issues raised in
our submissions and recommendations.
UN treaty body concluding observations and UPR Recommendations are adopted
by Government and implemented.
Arguments presented in our submissions to courts influence outcomes for
parties and non-parties in a way that is consistent with human rights.
Respect@Work
In the previous reporting period, Commissioner Kate Jenkins launched the
Respect@Work: National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces
(Respect@Work) report on 6 March 2020. Respect@Work examined the nature,
prevalence, and drivers of sexual harassment in Australian workplaces, and
measures to address and prevent it, finding that sexual harassment is pervasive,
occurring in every industry and across every level in Australian workplaces.
On 11 September 2021 the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work)
Amendment Act 2021 (Respect at Work Amendment Act) commenced, giving effect
to Respect@Work recommendations 16, 20, 21, 22, 29, and 30.
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