HUMAN RIGHTS WORKSHEET - Laptop - Year 10 - 2011 Go to the website for the Australian Human Rights Commission: www.hreoc.gov.

au 1. On the Home page, go to "About" on the menu bar. What is the AHRC? What was its former name? The Australian Rights Commission is the new name of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. The commission was established in 1986 by an act of the federal Parliament. We are an independent statutory organisation and report to the federal Parliament through the Attorney-General.
2. Then go to "Human Rights" on the menu bar and copy the overview in the green box at

top.
Human rights are about recognising and respecting the inherent value and dignity of all people. Human rights standards are contained in internationally agreed human rights treaties and declarations. The Australian Human Rights Commission is responsible for promoting and encouraging protection of human rights in Australia.

Home page Human Rights, then on Left hand side, "About Human Rights". What international treaties or declarations has Australia agreed to? (Just put names don't worry about the abbreviations). Also on the LH side click on "Human Rights Issues" and write down some of the issues addressed by our Commission. (listed on left)
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

3. Go back to the Home page and under "Quick links" go to "Information for students". What are human rights? Why are they important?
There are a number of basic rights that people from around the world have agreed on, such as: the right to life freedom from torture other cruel and inhuman treatment rights to a fair trial free speech freedom of religion rights to health, education and an adequate standard of living.

These human rights are the same for all people everywhere male and female, young and old, rich and poor, regardless of our background, where we live, what we think or what we believe. This is what makes human rights universal'

Respect for human rights helps build strong communities, based on equality and tolerance in which everyone has an opportunity to contribute..

4. On the RH side click on HR Essentials and read further details on "What are Human Rights? Scroll down to "An Australian example": What is the Mabo decision and when was it made by the High Court? Which Act followed this in 1993?
After the High Court's Mabo decision in 1992 and the Native Title Act of 1993, Indigenous peoples in certain circumstances obtained Native Title to land. That is, the Native Title Act gave Indigenous peoples in Australia a legal right. This legal position was based on a moral right that had always been there. Prior to these

decisions, Indigenous people in Australia may have had no legal rights to native title, but justice, history and humanity supported their moral rights to land.

5. (continue in above section for students) Look at "HR in Australia" and make some brief notes from the sections: "Frequently asked questions about the Commission" and the resource sheet ""HR in Australia"- look at the table to understand how International treaties have been put into our Australian laws. Scroll down and list the 5 Federal laws relating to HR in Australia. AHRC was established in 1986 (cwlth parliament act) to foster greater understanding and protection of human rights in Australia and to address the human rights concerns of a broad range of individuals and groups.

The Commission's responsibilities include: education and public awareness discrimination and human rights complaints human rights compliance policy and legislative development.

We do this through: resolving complaints of discrimination or breaches of human rights under federal laws holding public inquiries into issues of national importance, such as the separation of Indigenous children from their families and the rights of children in immigration detention centres developing human rights education programs and resources for schools, workplaces and the community providing independent advice to assist courts in cases that involve human rights principles providing advice and assistance to parliaments and governments to develop laws, programs and policies undertaking and coordinating research into human rights and discrimination issues.

6. Back to Home page, click on "Education" on top menu bar. On the LH side, "Human Rights explained fact sheets" : read Fact Sheet 1 "Defining human rights" 7. If you finish all the above you can browse the site, particularly the section on Information for Students web section (LH side under Education) in this section you should look at "HR Overseas" and follow the links. Your syllabus says you should look at "how other nations have responded to the challenges" (of human rights and reconciliation). Canada and New Zealand are good examples. 8. You can now go to the case study overview (also in R drive Taranto Human Rights folder) of Canada and the agreement with the indigenous Inuit people. You must learn this study.
Note: We will not be looking in further detail at Mabo and reconciliation in Australia because you have studied this in History this year....... and we have time constraints!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have now completed your Year 10 Geography course!!!!

YEAH!!!! GOOD LUCK IN YOUR S.C. EXAMS, GIRLS!!

Vicki Taranto (and all the HSIE Staff)