Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report November 2022 • to prepare, and to publish in such manner as the Commission considers appropriate, guidelines for the avoidance of infringements within the Act • where the Commission considers it appropriate to do so, with the leave of the court hearing the proceedings, and subject to any conditions imposed by the court, to intervene in proceedings that involve racial discrimination issues • to inquire into, and make determinations, on matters referred to it by the Race Discrimination Commissioner or the Minister. Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) (SDA) Gives effect to Australia’s obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and to other relevant international instruments including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The main aims of the SDA are to: • promote equality between men and women • eliminate discrimination on the ground of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship status, pregnancy (or potential pregnancy) and breastfeeding in work, education, and other areas of public life • eliminate discrimination on the ground of family responsibilities in work • eliminate sexual harassment in work, education, and other areas of public life. Commission functions under the SDA include: • • • • • 9 to promote understanding and acceptance of, and compliance with, the SDA to undertake research and educational programs on behalf of the Commonwealth for the purpose of promoting the objects of the SDA to examine enactments, and proposed enactments to ensure consistency with the SDA and its objects to consider grant appropriate exemptions for compliance with the SDA to report to the Minister as to the laws that should be made by the Parliament, or action that should be taken by the Commonwealth, on matters relating to discrimination under the SDA