Kingsford Legal Centre, working with the National Association of Community Legal Centres, has made a submission to the Review of Australia Fifth Periodic Report under the United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The submission highlights areas of ongoing concern as well as improvements, to help assess whether Australia is meeting its obligations under the Covenant with respect to workplace discrimination, gender equality and Indigenous Rights, amongst many others.
The submissions highlighted the persistence of a significant gendered pay gap and the low representation of highly-ranked women in politics and public life. Submissions also outlined positive developments with respect to compulsory paid parental leave, while acknowledging the limitations of the scheme being fixed to the minimum wage.
On the issue of self-determination, KLC and NACLC signaled the need to explore options to close the gap that exists between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with respect to many of the rights contained in the Covenant. KLC and NACLC are committed to working with the NGO Coalition and in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to provide further information ahead of the official UN review in May 2017.
KLC Director, Anna Cody said of the submission; “We are looking forward to the 2017 review to ensure that human rights are being properly protected in Australia, and are pleased to contribute to that assessment.”