United Nations treaties

Contributed by Kate Eastman AND current to 1 September 2005

Australia has signed three treaties providing a right to complain to, or petition, a United Nations committee. These are:

• the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the First Optional Protocol to the covenant (which sets out the mechanisms for making a complaint under the covenant)

• the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

• the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

These treaties set out the minimum standard of treatment that government at federal, state and local levels should accord all Australians.
If the rights in these treaties are violated a complaint can be made to one of the committees.