Outcome 3.2 [PBS criterion]
Our activities increase the capacity of Governments, organisations, other groups and services to understand
and address the human rights impact of their actions, particularly when working with vulnerable groups
and communities.
Progress indicator 3.21 and 3.22 [PBS target]
Instances of stakeholders in our activities with organisations reporting that our work has contributed to
increased understanding of the impact of their systems and operations on human rights; Instances of
stakeholders in our activities with organisations making changes to organisational policy and practice, to
protect and promote human rights in their context.
Commission-Defence Collaboration to support and improve cultural reform across
Defence (2014–2024)
The Commission has worked with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for the past 7 years to support and
improve cultural reform. A four-year agreement to continue this work was signed in June 2020. Led by
Commissioner Jenkins, the Commission team brings a human rights-based approach to its cultural reform
work with Defence. This means turning human rights from legal instruments into effective policies and
practical realities. Defence has worked with this approach to redefine problems, examine root causes, and
expand its range of responses to problems.
Data reporting framework for unacceptable behaviour
In this reporting period, the Commission team supported Defence to improve its data collection systems
on unacceptable behaviour. Data is crucial to understanding the scale of unacceptable behaviour in terms
of the number of individuals affected and providing insights into where and how unacceptable behaviour
is occurring and the underlying drivers or causes. The Commission developed a data reporting framework
for Defence to understand what and how unacceptable behaviour is occurring, whether and in what ways
it is changing, and what the key risk and protective factors are to inform how and where to target
interventions aimed at preventing unacceptable workplace behaviours.
Optimising Navy workplace culture
The Commission team is working in partnership with a specialist Navy cohort to define its ideal culture –
based on Defence values, attitudes, and beliefs – to support the Navy’s mission. Cohort members and the
Commission jointly scoped and defined the project and will co-develop and deliver the outcomes. This
bottom-up, inclusive methodology will strengthen support for the project within the cohort and maximise
the relevance of proposed changes.
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Australian Human Rights Commission
Annual Report 2020–2021