AUSTRALIAN MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS E-mail UN.Geneva@dfat.gov.au Chemin des Fins 2, Petit Saconnex, 1211 Geneva 19 Ph +41 22 799 9100 Fax +41 22 799 9175 www.genevamission.gov.au Fourth Forum on Minority Issues Item IV: Minority women and effective political participation Statement by Australia 29 November 2011 Since it is the first time I take the floor, I would Iike to thank al I the panel I ists for their presentations, and to thank the civiI society representatives present for taking the time to share their experiences and recommendations. Australia is a multicultural nation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians occupy a special place in Australian society as Australia's first peoples. In addition, since 1945, seven million people have immigrated to Australia. Today, one in four of Australia's 22 mi I I ion people were born overseas. 44 per cent were born overseas or have a parent who migrated to Australia. Today, Australians speak more than 260 languages, including Indigenous languages; identify with 270 ancestries; and observe a wide variety of cultural and religious traditions.