UN Human Rights Council: Universal Periodic Review adoption - Australia
The UK delivered this statement during the Universal Periodic Review Adoption for Australia.
Thank you, Madam President.
The United Kingdom welcomes the engagement of Australia with the UPR process and its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, both at home and around the world.
We are pleased by Australia’s acceptance of our recommendation to implement the Closing the Gap Strategy, while ensuring shared decision-making and genuine partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We support Australia’s efforts to address the disparity in health and socio-economic outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, by tackling the underlying causes of disadvantage.
We also welcome Australia’s decision to ratify the 2014 ILO Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention, which builds on their continuing commitment to address modern slavery.
We would encourage Australia to submit an optional mid-term report on progress in implementing all the recommendations which have been accepted.
We reiterate our thanks for Australia’s open and constructive approach to the human rights challenges raised at its UPR.
Thank you.