UNDRIP INDIGENOUS RIGHTS 

The Declaration can be a powerful tool to protect rights, drive change and build a more equal future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

About the Declaration

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is the most comprehensive international instrument that recognises and protects the rights of Indigenous peoples globally.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007, the declaration sets a universal framework for respecting, protecting and fulfilling the rights of Indigenous peoples.

These fundamental and foundational human rights can be categorised into four key principles:

  • Self-determination.
  • Participation in decision-making.
  • Respect for and protection of culture.
  • Equality and non-discrimination.

The 7 Core UN Treaties Australia HAS ratified

1. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
Ratified by Australia: 1980
Protects:
Right to life
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Fair trial rights
Protection from arbitrary detention


2. International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
Ratified: 1975
Protects:
Right to work
Housing
Health
Education
Cultural participation


3. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
Ratified: 1975
Focus:
Eliminating racial discrimination
Equality before the law
Protection of Indigenous peoples


4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
Ratified: 1983
Focus:
Women’s equality
Protection from discrimination
Participation in public life


5. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
Ratified: 1989
Protects:
Freedom from torture
Humane treatment in detention
Oversight of prisons


6. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Ratified: 1990
Protects:
Rights of children
Education
Safety and welfare
Cultural identity


7. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Ratified: 2008
Protects:
Rights of people with disabilities
Accessibility
Equality and inclusion

Beyond the ordinary