29.While welcoming the People of Australia – Australia’s Multicultural Policy and the State party’s National Anti-Racism Partnership and Strategy, the Committee notes with concern that racial discrimination in general remains a problem. It is particularly concerned at:
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- The absence of federal legislation protecting against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
30. In accordance with article 2 of the Convention, the Committee reiterates its previous recommendation that the State party regularly evaluate disparities in the enjoyment by children of their rights and on the basis of that evaluation undertake the necessary steps to prevent and combat discriminatory disparities. In doing so, the Committee recommends that the State party strengthen its awareness-raising and other preventative activities against discrimination, including through integrating such activities within school curricula, and if necessary taking affirmative action for the benefit of children in vulnerable situations, including Aboriginal and Torres Islander children and children from non-Anglo-Australian background. Furthermore, the Committee calls upon the State party to:
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- Enact federal legislative protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Link to full text of the report: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/co/CRC_C_AUS_CO_4.pdf
