ALHR’s Amy Sinclair comments in Lawyers Weekly on the Joint Civil Society Statement on Business and Human Rights

posted on August 30, 2016

Lawyers Weekly reports on ALHR’s participation in a coalition of civil society groups calling on the government to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Australia.  The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, unanimously endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, require businesses to respect human rights and governments … Read More >>

ALHR Business and Human Rights Sub-Committee, A Year in Review

posted on August 19, 2016

ALHR’s BHR Sub-Committee has had a busy first year. Amy Sinclair and the BHR team have participated in the OHCHR’s Corporate Accountability and Remedy Project and maintained concerted advocacy efforts calling for a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. Read our attached report for further details of the BHR Sub-Committee’s activities.

10 most needed changes to Australian Government’s policies towards asylum seekers and refugees

posted on July 19, 2016

10 Changes that ALHR would like to see with respect to the Australian Government’s policies towards asylum seekers and refugees  End offshore processing and stop boat turnbacks. End the detention of children and families. Ensure timely access to durable solutions for recognised refugees. This includes resettlement — preferably in Australia or in a country which … Read More >>

ALHR’s New Women and Girls’ Rights Subcommittee

posted on July 14, 2016

ALHR is pleased to announce the launch of our new national Women and Girls’ Rights Subcommittee Women comprise half the world’s population, but are the large majority of the world’s poor, illiterate, and displaced. Globally, women make up only 22% of national parliaments. Women do approximately 66% of the world’s work in return for less than 10% … Read More >>

Equality in the Jury Room: A case study

posted on July 4, 2016

Natalie Wade, the Chair of ALHR’s National Disability Rights Subcommittee has written  an article for the Australian lawyers Alliance on the rights of deaf jurors. The denial of a deaf person’s right to exercise their citizenship by participating in juries in Australian courts is longstanding. The stereotyped perceptions against deaf jurors being able to perform … Read More >>

La Trobe students ALHR research experience: Violence Against Women and Girls in the Nauru Regional Processing Centre

posted on June 28, 2016

In semester 1, 2016 under the guidance of ALHR’s Secretariat, Ms Randa Rafiq and Nicole Shackleton (La Trobe Volunteer Coordinator) thirteen La Trobe students undertook a voluntary placement with ALHR.  The students worked on four projects over the semester.  The projects were in the areas of disability and housing rights, refugee rights, women rights (in particular, the … Read More >>

La Trobe Student Edmund Simpson Speaks about His Volunteer Placement with ALHR

posted on June 6, 2016

Edmund Simpson, currently in his penultimate year of a Bachelor of Laws (graduate entry) at La Trobe Law School has written about his experience volunteering for ALHR. Edmund was amongst thirteen La Trobe students who, under the guidance of ALHR’s Secretariat, Ms Randa Rafiq and Nicole Shackleton (La Trobe Volunteer Coordinator) undertook a voluntary placement with ALHR in … Read More >>

ALHR is seeking a new Chair/Coordinator for our vibrant, effective and dedicated National Refugee Rights Subcommittee

posted on April 27, 2016

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) is currently searching for a new Chair/ Coordinator for our vibrant, effective and dedicated National Refugee Rights Subcommittee. Given the egregious nature of human rights violations in relation to people seeking asylum in Australia, this area is a critical focus of ALHR’s work. Over the past two years the … Read More >>

Government commits to business and human rights consultation

posted on March 17, 2016

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has successfully encouraged the government to consider adopting a national policy on business and human rights.  Ms Amy Sinclair, Chair Business and Human Rights Sub-Committee ALHR was quoted in Lawyers Weekly saying: “The voices of all stakeholders must be included – not just those representing powerful business interests but also … Read More >>

Submission to the Inquiry into the current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on students and families associated with inadequate levels of support

posted on March 10, 2016

ALHR provided the following submission on point (j) of the Terms of Reference to address the international human rights obligations that apply in respect to children with disabilities having access to and participating in education in Australia. In summary, ALHR submits that in accordance with articles 24 and 7 of the United Nations Convention on … Read More >>