Australian Human Rights Commission
Submission to the CEDAW Committee – 12 June 2018
(f) Conduct further research into identified gaps, such as the most effective mechanisms for
reducing the vulnerability of pregnant women, employees on parental leave and working
parents to redundancy and job loss.
47 Dr Derya Iner, Islamophobia in Australia (10 July 2017), 5. At: https://www.isra.org.au/site/userassets/Islamophobia%20in%20Australia.pdf (viewed 30 May 2018); Professor Kevin Dunn, Ms
Rosalie Atie, Dr Virginia Mapedzahama, Associate Professor Mehmet Ozalp, Dr Adem F. Aydogan,
The resilience and ordinariness of Australian Muslims: Attitudes and experiences of Muslims Report,
(November 2015). At:
https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/988793/12441_text_challenging_racis
m_WEB.pdf (viewed 30 May 2018).
See also: Australian Human Rights Commission, Isma - Listen: National consultations on eliminating
prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australians (2002), 3. At: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/ourwork/race-discrimination/projects/isma-listen-national-consultations-eliminating-prejudice (viewed 30
May 2018).
This report found that people readily identifiable as Muslim because of their dress or appearance were
particular targets of racist violence and abuse. Muslim women who wear the hijab, niqab or chador
have been especially at risk (p3).
Women identified as Muslim by their dress were especially afraid of being abused or attacked in
public. Many restricted their movements in public, spending much more time inside their homes (p78).
48 Australian Human Rights Commission, A conversation in gender equality (March 2017), 18. At:
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/projects/conversation-gender-equality2017 (viewed 30 May 2018).
49 Australian Human Rights Commission, A conversation in gender equality (March 2017), 18. At:
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/projects/conversation-gender-equality2017 (viewed 30 May 2018).
50 Australian Human Rights Commission, Willing to Work: National Inquiry into Employment
Discrimination Against Older Australians and Australians with Disability (2 May 2016). At
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/publications/willing-work-national-inquiryemployment-discrimination (viewed 30 May 2018).
51 Australian Human Rights Commission, Willing to Work: National Inquiry into Employment
Discrimination Against Older Australians and Australians with Disability (2 May 2016), 11. At
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/publications/willing-work-national-inquiryemployment-discrimination (viewed 30 May 2018).
52 Wesley Mission Brisbane and Council of the Ageing (COTA) Queensland, and Urbis ‘Doing it
Tough’ (2015). At: https://urbis.com.au/insights-news/wesley-mission-report-reveals-queenslandsolder-women-poverty-experiences/ (viewed 30 May 2018).
The Age Discrimination Commissioner has identified the issue of homelessness among older women
as a key priority, acknowledging that this is a growing issue and one that extends across all socioeconomic status groups. See: Dr Kay Patterson, ‘Ageing and Advocacy’, (Speech delivered at the
Annual David Simmons Address, Australian Association of Gerontology and National Ageing
Research Institute (31 August 2017). At: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/annual-davidsimmons-address (viewed 30 May 2018).
53 Australian Law Reform Commission, Elder Abuse Discussion Paper, Discussion Paper No 83
(2016) 17 [1.13]. At https://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/elder-abuse-dp83 (viewed 30 May 2018).
54 Australian Law Reform Commission, Elder Abuse Discussion Paper, Discussion Paper No 83
(2016) 22 [1.36], 30 [1.73], 128 [7.6]. At https://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/elder-abuse-dp83
(viewed 30 May 2018); Australian Institute of Family Studies, Elder Abuse: Understanding issues,
frameworks and responses, Research Report No 35 (2016). At https://aifs.gov.au/publications/elderabuse/2-whatelder-abuse (viewed 30 May 2018).
55 The report also provided recommendations in a number of specific areas including aged care,
enduring documents, family agreements, superannuation, wills, banking, tribunal appointed guardians
and administrators, social security, health and criminal justice responses. See Australian Law Reform
Commission, Elder Abuse – A National Legal Response (Final Report), Report No 131 (31 May 2017).
At
https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/elder_abuse_131_final_report_31_may_20
17.pdf (viewed 30 May 2018).
56 As announced by the Liberal Party of Australia, The Coalition’s Policy to Protect the Rights of Older
Australians (2016). At www.liberal.org.au/coalitions-policy-protect-rights-older-australians (viewed 30
May 2018).
23