Australian Human Rights Commission Submission to the CEDAW Committee – 12 June 2018 Attachment 1: Compilation of Recommendations Priority areas The matters addressed in this submission are all of importance to Australia’s compliance with CEDAW. However, the Commission wishes to draw the Committee’s attention to three areas of particular importance: (i) (ii) (iii) The need to accelerate action to address the key issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, including targeted prevention and early intervention initiatives to reduce violence against Indigenous women and children (section 4.1, Recommendation 3(ii)); the high rates of contact with the child protection system (section 10, Recommendation 15); and the high rates of Indigenous women in the justice system (section 10, Recommendation 15). The need to ensure adequate measures for the prevention of and response to sexual harassment in the workplace, with consideration of the identified strategies in the Commission’s 2012 survey report and the forthcoming outcomes of the 2018 survey, as discussed in section 4.2 (see Recommendation 4). The need to address existing barriers to women’s equal participation in the workforce and the gender gap in retirement savings, as discussed in section 5 (see Recommendation 9). The Commission recommends that the Committee request an update from the Australian Government on progress in relation to the above priority areas in 12 months, under article 18 of CEDAW and Rule 48 of the Rules of Procedure. Recommendation 1: That the Australian Government ensure that: (i) (ii) Concerns raised by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights are fully considered in the legislative process. All statements of compatibility are consistently of a high standard and are supported by evidence and analysis. Recommendation 2: That the Australian Government: (i) (ii) Fully incorporate CEDAW into Australian law. Amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to improve its effectiveness, consistent with the Commission’s recommendations to Australia’s Second Universal Periodic Review.75 Recommendation 3: That the Australian Government: (i) (ii) Undertake specific research to understand the nature and prevalence of family and domestic violence, sexual assault and sexual harassment for women and girls with disability, LGBTI women and girls, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls and women and girls from CALD backgrounds, and implement evidence-based policy responses to reduce violence against these groups of women. Accelerate action to reduce violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, including targeted prevention and 12