120 Nations List Grievances About Australia’s Human Rights Issues at UN Review

As part of the review, conducted every five years, Iran accused Australia of ‘violence against females and girls.’

A bird flies above a flag of the United Nations at the 'Palais des Nations' (Palace of Nations), which houses the United Nations offices in Geneva on Dec. 9, 2024. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

A United Nations (U.N.) review conducted by representatives from 100 nation states has painted Australia as a country where women and girls are subject to violence, Aboriginals and the disabled live in disadvantage, and prisoners are tortured.

The U.N. Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review was held in Geneva, Switzerland on Jan. 26—coinciding with Australia Day.

Australian Human Rights Commission President Hugh de Kretser said it was “the most important global review of Australia’s human rights record.”

“One hundred and twenty nations made 350 recommendations for reforms, so the review’s informed by U.N. experts and human rights organisations,” he told ABC Radio National on Jan. 28.

Participating nations are subject to regular peer reviews every five years.

The recommendations for reform are non-binding, meaning Australia is not obligated to act on any advice given.

What European Nations Suggested

Many nations called on Australia to increase the age of criminal responsibility, though nations differed slightly in opinion on what that age should be.

The age of criminal responsibility is currently set at 10 in all states and territories except for Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, where it sits at 12 and 14 respectively.

Finland representative Heidi Schroderus-Fox recommended Australia raise the age to 14 across the board with Germany sharing the same view.

Schroderus-Fox also called for Australia to end indefinite detention of asylum seekers and the offshore processing of refugees, as well as suggesting funding for public awareness campaigns for LGBT people.

Australia received some praise from French representative Céline Jurgensen, who commended the under-16s social media ban.

But she also called for raising the age of criminal responsibility to 13, a ban on gay conversion therapy practices, and action to stop violence against girls and women, “especially Indigenous women,” she said.

German representative Marie Rambach said the government needed to address all “closing the gap” recommendations for Indigenous Australians.

Last year, it was revealed that only four of 19 “closing the gap” targets—intended to narrow the gap between Indigenous and mainstream Australian living standards—had been addressed, while others had stagnated and some had gone backwards.

Italy’s Stefano Pisotti made a point of calling for higher incomes for the disabled to avoid exposure to abuse and exploitation.

Asian Nations Share Recommendations

India’s representative Kshitij Tyagi called on Australia to cut down on the number of Indigenous prisoners by addressing the factors that lead to their incarceration—a request echoed by other participants.

Achsanul Habib from Indonesia said Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination needed to be dealt with, while claiming Australia needed to provide better access to health, education and employment for Indigenous Australians.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Takahiro Shiota suggested added protections for seasonal workers in Australia.

Pacific’s Climate Focus

Pacific nations including Samoa and Fiji raised climate change policy as an area for review.

“To reconcile and align the climate change policies with its human rights and international law obligations including legislating the right to clean, healthy and sustainable environment at the federal level,” Fijian counterpart Bulou Keleni Tikomaisuva-Seruvatu said.

Iran, Iraq Alleges Australia Has Problems With Torture, Violence

The government of Iran, which already has tense relations with Australia, was represented by Fatemeh Mohammadi who alleged issues with Australia’s human rights record.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is deeply concerned about the violation of the rights of Indigenous people, high level of human trafficking, persistent violence against females and girls and systematic violence and abuse against people with disability in Australia,” she said.

“We recommend Australia ban, take immediate and concrete steps to prevent domestic violence against females and girls, to prevent the separation of Indigenous children from their birth families and ensure the right to culture and family identity is fully protected.”

Mohammadi also requested Australia halt all extractive or industrial development on “Indigenous land that proceeds without the free and informed consent of the communities.”

She also said Australia should abolish any form of racial discrimination or Islamophobia through the media or online platforms.

Iraq’s representative Mohammed Ali Abud Abud claimed Australia had committed “increasing torture” against prisoners but did not elaborate further.

UN’s Concerns Over Iran

Iran is currently waging what the U.N. itself has called “the deadliest crackdown by the government of Iran against its people since the 1979 revolution,” with the elderly, women and children included in the death toll.

Addressing the 39th special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva last week, Fact-Finding Mission chair Sara Hossain said credible reports revealed the regime had killed thousands of protesters since anti-regime uprisings began in late December.

“Intentional lethal force can only be used as a last resort when it is strictly necessary to protect life against an imminent threat,” she said.

Metal pellets have reportedly been fired into the faces of victims at close range, recalling the pattern of blinding protesters previously established by the Mission in relation to the “Woman, Life Freedom” protests in 2022, according to the UN.

Australia’s Response to the Review

A number of Australian representatives addressed the review, including CEO of the National Indigenous Australians Agency, Julie-Ann Guivarra, who said there were goals in place to enact “closing the gap” initiatives.

“Our goal is clear, to close the gap and ensure equal life outcomes for all Australians,” she said.

The Australian representative explained that Australia had taken steps to improve the lives of prisoners such as exploring non-custodial options and programs to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginals.

“Australia recognises that it must do more to address the over-repreesentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the criminal justice system,” said Kathryn Haigh, the first assistant secretary in the Attorney-General’s Department international cooperation and human rights division.

Haigh also explained that Australian states and territories set their own goals when it comes to the age of criminal responsibility.