A/HRC/15/37/Add.4
eliminating significant social and economic disadvantages faced by Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples in key areas, including early childhood, schooling, health, economic
participation, healthy home, safe communities and governance and leadership, by the year
2020 and the resources committed by the Government thereto.
Nevertheless, in his report, the Special Rapporteur observes that, overall, there is a
need to incorporate into government programmes a more integrated approach to addressing
indigenous disadvantage across the country, one that not just promotes social and economic
well-being of indigenous peoples, but also advances their self-determination and
strengthens their cultural bonds. The Government should seek to include in its initiatives
the goal of advancing indigenous self-determination, in particular by encouraging
indigenous self-governance at the local level, ensuring indigenous participation in the
design, delivery and monitoring of programmes and promoting culturally appropriate
programmes that incorporate or build on indigenous peoples’ own initiatives. Additionally,
further efforts are needed to secure indigenous peoples’ rights over lands, resources and
heritage sites and ensure that indigenous peoples living in remote areas can enjoy the same
social and economic rights as other segments of the Australian population, without having
to sacrifice important aspects of their cultures and ways of life.
Of particular concern is the Northern Territory Emergency Response, addressed in
appendix B, which, in several aspects, limits the capacity of indigenous individuals and
communities to control or participate in decisions affecting their own lives, doing so in a
way that discriminates on the basis of race, thereby raising serious human rights concerns.
The Special Rapporteur offers a number of recommendations with the hope that they
will help guide the Government of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
and other interested parties to develop and implement laws, policies and programmes that
conform to the international human rights standards related to indigenous peoples.
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