An Australian Charter of Human Rights will better protect the human rights of children and victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Read more about why knowmore supports an Australian Charter of Human Rights.
People from knowmore, Women’s Legal Service NSW and Full Stop Australia at a public hearing of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights
Children, victims and survivors are not adequately protected
The human rights of children and victims and survivors of child sexual abuse are not adequately protected in Australia. We particularly see this in the widespread, ongoing problem of child sexual abuse, and the significant barriers many victims and survivors face in seeking safety, justice and redress.
The Australian Child Maltreatment Study recently reported that 28.5% of people in Australia had experienced child sexual abuse.
Child sexual abuse is obviously a severe violation of a child’s human rights, with impacts extending across the survivor’s life. These include impacts on:
- physical health
- mental health
- relationships
- connection to culture
- education
- employment
- housing
- economic security.
All of these issues have human rights implications.
A Charter will better protect children, victims and survivors
A Charter is a basic and important protection for all people’s human rights. Australia is the only Western democracy without a national Charter.
A Charter will better protect the human rights of children, victims and survivors by:
- making sure governments consider people’s human rights when making laws and policies and delivering services
- allowing people to take action and seek justice if their rights are violated.
A Charter should include specific protection of victims’ and survivors’ rights, such as a right to prompt redress.
Join the campaign for a Charter
knowmore is part of the Charter of Rights campaign coalition, which is made up of more than 90 organisations from across the Australian community.
We have made a submission in support of a Charter and shared our views on a model of specific protection of victims’ and survivors’ rights. We have also spoken to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights about these issues.
Join us in supporting the campaign for an Australian Charter of Human Rights.