Stop the Traffic 2 - Conference Organisations

Stop the Traffic 2 (2003)

Conference
Organisations

The Stop the Traffic 2 Conference is being presented by Project Respect in association with RMIT
University School of Social Science and Planning and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and is sponsored by the City of Yarra and VicHealth.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is a national independent
statutory government body established under the Human Rights and Equal
Opportunity Commission Act 1986.

Under the legislation administered by the Commission, it has responsibilities
for inquiring into alleged infringements under three anti-discrimination
laws - the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination
Act 1984, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, as
well as inquiring into alleged infringements of human rights under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986.

The Commission plays a central role in contributing to the maintenance
and improvement of a tolerant, equitable and democratic society, through
its public awareness and other educational programs aimed at the community,
government and business sectors. These programs provide information and
strategies to improve the enjoyment of human rights in Australia, the
key message being that the elimination of discrimination and harassment
are prerequisites for the enjoyment of human rights by all Australians.
For further information, see http://www.humanrights.gov.au.

Project Respect

Established in 1998, Project Respect is a not-for-profit organisation
that challenges exploitation and violence against women in the sex industry.
Project Respect combines direct work with women and strategic advocacy
and research. Project Respect advocates with and on behalf of and provide
services to women where no other services currently operate.

Project Respect has unique and extensive expertise in delivering services
to trafficked women and women in the sex industry. This targets the most
vulnerable women in the global community. These services include outreach
at brothels, support for women in detention centres, legal and migration
advice and access to English classes, among others.

Reliant on one-off and intermittent grants, Project Respect has nonetheless
achieved a great deal in the last five years. Project Respect’s
outspoken criticism of government inaction has been credited with influencing
the $20M counter-trafficking package announced by the Federal Government
in October.

See Project Respect at http://home.vicnet.net.au/~prespect/nav.htm.

RMIT University – Social Science and Planning

The School of Social Science and Planning is a teaching and research
concentration with an interdisciplinary academic program. Its core disciplines
include social science, social work, environmental policy and management
and urban and regional planning.

Within and across these interrelated disciplines, the School’s
specific topic areas include: policy, land use and environmental studies;
evaluation and planning; social and public administration and management;
research and development; political economy and politics; social, economic
and planning history; and community development. The overall emphasis
of the school is on teaching and research that is topical and focused
on the challenge of achieving a fair, equitable and sustainable social
and physical environment. For more information on the RMIT University’s
Social Science and Planning department, see http://www.rmit.edu.au/tce/ssp.