Australian Human Rights Commission
Information for List of Issues on Australia, 29 September 2017
higher proportion of female deaths occurring among those 15 to 19 years of
age.30
25.
Young mothers are an at-risk group who frequently experience negative
consequences such as poverty and long term welfare dependency, 31 poor
emotional health and wellbeing,32 and inability to complete study or gain
secure employment.33 The National Children’s Commissioner is currently
examining this issue.
Issues for consideration in the LOI:
Information on national efforts to understand and address the increasing
rate of suicide in women and girls.
Information on national action to support, and improve outcomes for,
young mothers and their children.
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26.
Medical interventions involving intersex women and girls
(CEDAW Articles 2, 5)
The Commission is concerned that women born with intersex variations
remain subject to medically unnecessary medical interventions in
circumstances where they are unable to provide full and informed consent.34
The Commission notes that the Senate Community Affairs Committee
conducted an inquiry into the involuntary or coerced sterilisation of intersex
people in Australia in 2013.35 The Commission remains concerned that many
of the recommendations have not been implemented; particularly at the state
and territory level.
Issues for consideration in the LOI:
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Information on legal and policy protections to prevent medically
unnecessary and/or harmful medical interventions on women and girls
born with intersex variations.
Discrimination faced by Muslim women (CEDAW Articles 1-3)
27.
Australian research has continued to find that Muslim women are frequent
targets of bigotry and discrimination because of their visibility with the Islamic
headscarf. They are particularly vulnerable when unaccompanied, with
children or pregnant at the time of the incident.36
28.
An earlier report by the Commission in 2003, Isma — Listen: National
consultations on eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australians,
also 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.37
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.38
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