Amnesty International Campaigns
A Human Rights Act For Australia.
Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world without overarching human rights protection.
Some of our human rights are protected by Australian law, but many are not - including many that people THINK are already protected. For example, we assume our right to free speech is protected by law, but it isn't - only our right to political speech is protected, nothing else.
A Human Rights Act for Australia is the best way to ensure that the human rights of all people are protected. The Act would be a national law that protects the fundamental rights of everyone in Australia - the rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Those rights include things like our freedom of speech, freedom of association, right to education, a home and to be treated with dignity.
Demand Dignity.
You don't need Amnesty International to give you figures on global poverty; you probably know many of them. You don't need Amnesty International to set out yet another plan to end poverty; there are many on the table, and much debate about which deserve support.
But if you want to change the fact that at least 963 million people go to bed hungry every night, that 1 billion people live in slums, that one woman dies every minute from pregnancy complications, that 1.3 billion people have no access to basic healthcare, that 2.5 billion people have no access to adequate sanitation services and 20,000 children a day die as a result, then you need to listen.
Whatever plan is pursued, whatever projects are prioritised, whatever aid package is agreed, no solution to poverty without human rights at its core will have any long-term impact. Protecting the rights of those living in poverty is not just an option – it is an essential piece of any solution.
Stop Violence Against Women.
Amnesty International is calling on the international community, governments, local communities, and every single person in the world to end help end violence against women.
Governments have an obligation to eliminate violence against women. Our campaign holds them to account for their failure to protect women and urges them to live up to their duty to stop this violence.
In Australia, domestic violence puts more women aged 15 to 44 at risk of ill-health and premature death than any other risk factor; and more than one third of women experience physical or sexual violence in their lives.
Many worthwhile initiatives are addressing the problem, but more needs to be done.
Women across the country can't count on receiving the same level of protection against violence, or the same resources to deal with abuse. There is currently no national strategy to coordinate efforts or expertise among Australia's states and territories, different government agencies, and with the non-government sector.
For more information:
http://www.amnesty.org.au/
http://www.amnesty.org/
http://www.amnesty.org/
