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Children's Rights
4 December 2013SubmissionPreventing sexual abuse of children in out of home care
Preventing sexual abuse of children in out of home care Australian Human Rights Commission Response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Issue Paper 4 8 November 2013 Downloads Download in PDF Download in Word Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Recommendations 3 Outline of children’s rights in the context of children in out-of-home care 4 Data on the… -
Children's Rights
27 February 2025News story
Applications open: National Children's Commissioner
Applications are now open for the National Children's Commissioner role. The National Children’s Commissioner leads the Commission’s work about the rights of children. This work includes: promoting understanding and acceptance of, and compliance with, the Convention on the Rights of the Child promoting discussion and awareness of issues affecting children undertaking research and education -
Children's Rights
27 February 2025Submission
Submission: Inquiry into Australia's youth justice and incarceration system
The Australian Human Rights Commission has made a submission to the Parliamentary Committee that is looking at Australia's youth justice and incarceration system. -
Children's Rights
13 February 2024Media Release
AHRC welcomes announcement of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Commissioner
The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement today that a new position will be created for a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Commissioner. Advocates and peak bodies representing Australia’s First Nations children have long sought a National Commissioner to promote the rights, interests and wellbeing of First Nations children… -
Children's Rights
30 January 2022Media Release
Children urged to share COVID-19 experiences
As most Australian children return to school today, they are being invited to share their stories about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their wellbeing, and how they have coped. -
Children's Rights
17 January 2019Speech
Megan Mitchell at the National Press Club
I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land we gather on today, and across Australia, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and future. Thanks to UNICEF for the opportunity to share the moment in which both our reports are submitted, and Anne Sherry in particular. Congratulations also to UNICEF and the Child Rights Taskforce on this fabulous report. When Australia… -
Children's Rights
6 February 2020Media Release
Children’s Commissioner to Launch Final Report
Australia’s first Children’s Commissioner, Megan Mitchell will on Monday launch her final report – one of the most comprehensive assessments of children’s rights ever produced in Australia. The report makes clear that the mental health of Australian children is not being cared for sufficiently and that Governments must do more to ensure children’s wellbeing. Commissioner Mitchell said: “Not… -
Children's Rights
16 September 2020Opinion piece
Greater focus needed on kids during pandemic
Since lockdown restrictions were introduced in March, the national 24/7 counselling and support service Kids Helpline has received a significant increase in the volume of children and young people seeking help, up 24% to the end of August compared to 2019. The concerns they raised in counselling sessions provide important insights into how governments, parents and educators can better… -
Children's Rights
30 October 2020Media Release
Anne Hollonds commences as National Children’s Commissioner
Anne Hollonds has commenced in her role as Australia’s new National Children’s Commissioner. Commissioner Hollonds emphasised the need for greater recognition of the importance of childhood in Australia. “Childhood is quite rightly described as critically important for people's social, health and economic outcomes, but the value of childhood is not only about the future adult that a child… -
Children's Rights
24 August 2022Publication
Child-friendly version of 'Mental health shapes my life': COVID-19 & kids' wellbeing (2022)
For more than two years, children and families in Australia have been living through the global COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2022, I asked children and their parents/guardians and grandparents, about their experiences during COVID-19, and what help they needed to recover. -
Children's Rights
12 July 2019Speech
Children’s Rights in Australia: looking back and moving forward
Good morning everyone. I’d like to begin today by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, the Widjabul people of the Bundjalung nation. I acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make. I also pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. I’d also like to thank Professor Anne Graham for inviting me to speak to you today. And I also want to … -
Children's Rights
29 September 2021Webpage
About Children's Rights
Just like adults, children have human rights across the full spectrum of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. -
Children's Rights
4 October 2019Media Release
UN calls for national action to protect the rights of children and young people in Australia
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is calling on Australia to prioritise raising the age of criminal responsibility as part of its Concluding Observations on Australia's performance in protecting the country's children and young people. This comes at a time when there is a strong push around the country to improve our responses to juvenile offending and do more to divert children… -
Children's Rights
12 December 2024Video
National Children's Commissioner urges Australian governments to stand up for children's human rights
National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds has called on all Australians governments to protect the human rights of children. She released this video to coincide with UN Human Rights Day 2024, on the same week the Queensland Government planned to pass its controversial Making Queensland Safer Bill. Read the Commission's landmark report on child justice reform, titled 'Help Way Earlier!':… -
Children's Rights
24 August 2022Publication
'Mental health shapes my life': COVID-19 & kids' wellbeing (2022)
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, children and their families have experienced unparalleled disruptions to their daily lives. Although the pandemic is far from over, it is important that we understand how children have dealt with these. -
Children's Rights
9 September 2022Speech
Every child, in every community, needs a fair go. Shining a light on supporting children to grow up safe and supported
His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC, Governor-General of Australia, and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley. Thank you for launching National Child Protection Week 2022 and for hosting us today. I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respect to their elders, past, present and emerging, and to all Aboriginal and… -
Children's Rights
21 November 2024News story
New animation – ‘Do things with the information we tell you’
In the Supporting Quality Engagement with Children 2023 Final Report, children and young people said they want to see action based on what they told us about their lived experience. -
Children's Rights
25 February 2021Speech
Towards a National Child Wellbeing Strategy
Speech by National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds to the Parliamentary Friends of Early Childhood Thanks for this opportunity to share some reflections on my vision for early childhood policy. I would first like to acknowledge the traditional owners – Ngunnawal and Ngambri people – and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. My observations this morning will draw… -
Children's Rights
11 December 2019Speech
2019 Human Rights Day Oration
The Hon Peter McClellan AM QC 10 December 2019 I recently visited the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima. It is a confronting but moving experience. It is a memorial to the people the allies believed it necessary to kill to win the war. They were also intent on emphasising to the world that they had the most powerful weapon ever invented. They chose to detonate the bomb in an urban area rather than… -
Children's Rights
16 December 2016Speech
Pathways to Inclusion: the voice of the child in decision making
Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies Conference 2016 Introduction Good afternoon everyone and thank you Wendy for the introduction. It’s fantastic to be here today amongst so many people committed to the wellbeing of children in Australia. I too would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay my…