Universal Periodic Review of Austria, Statement by Australia, 23 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia welcomes Austria's continued commitment to human rights, including by developing a national action plan on violence against women and supporting the national investigation of allegations of police misconduct.

Australia recommends Austria:

1. Implement a National Action Plan against Racism and Discrimination to combat structural racism, discrimination and exclusion.
2. Take necessary steps to protect freedom of religion or belief, including reform to foster more equitable treatment of registered religious groups, and ensure national security measures consider and minimise the impact on freedom of religion or belief.
3. Increase funding for shelters and support services and improve access to sexual and reproductive health services in rural areas to reduce gender-based violence. 

Universal Periodic Review of the Federated States of Micronesia, Statement by Australia, 19 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia welcomes the Federated States of Micronesia's recently updated National Gender Policy, as well as its work towards acceding to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Australia recommends the Federated States of Micronesia:

1. Build on work done to date by consistently criminalising domestic violence across the whole of the Federated States of Micronesia. This includes by introducing legislation to criminalise domestic violence in Yap and Chuuk States and developing implementation plans and introducing legislation to increase the age of consent for free and voluntary sexual activity in Yap and Kosrae States.
2. Establish an independent, statutory National Human Rights Institution in full compliance with the Paris Principles.
3. Become a party to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Universal Periodic Review of Georgia, Statement by Australia, 26 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia welcomes Georgia's early efforts to protect the rights of children, moving several thousand children out of large institutional settings and into a family environment.

Australia is concerned that human rights in Georgia have generally deteriorated widely since its last review, with increasing restrictions on freedoms of expression and association, and the right of peaceful assembly.

Australia recommends Georgia:

1. Repeal laws that target civil society and independent media including the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Law on Grants and recent amendments to the Law on Broadcasting.
2. Repeal anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, including the Law on Family Values and the Protection of Minors.
3. Allow and safely facilitate peaceful protests without discrimination. 

Universal Periodic Review of Lebanon, Statement by Australia, 19 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia notes progress made by Lebanon since its previous review, acknowledging significant challenges faced in recent years.

We encourage ongoing efforts to ensure a thorough investigation into the 2020 Beirut Port explosion.

Australia recommends Lebanon:

1. Expedite the public release of a transparent domestic investigation into the cause of the Beirut Port explosion.
2. Repeal article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, which criminalizes "sexual intercourse contrary to the order of nature."
3. Become a party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and formalise the de facto moratorium on the death penalty, with a view to abolition of the death penalty. 

Universal Periodic Review of Mauritania, Statement by Australia, 20 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia recognises Mauritania's efforts to combat slavery and discrimination and welcomes its collaboration with international partners to combat extremism.

We remain concerned about the high prevalence of female genital mutilation and urge effective enforcement of the General Code on Child Protection.

Australia recommends Mauritania:

1. Decriminalise apostasy and amend the Constitution to protect freedom of religion and allow people of non-Muslim faith to remain citizens.
2. Take action to identify, account for, and release people in slavery, support victims, and strictly enforce anti-slavery laws.
3. Establish a formal moratorium on the death penalty and become a party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with a view to abolition of the death penalty.

Universal Periodic Review of Nauru, Statement by Australia, 20 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

We welcome Nauru's adoption of the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Act which incorporates into domestic law the Convention of the Rights of People with Disability, and the National Social Protection Strategy to improve outcomes across health, education and social welfare.

We are concerned about the re-introduction of the use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure in schools.

Australia recommends Nauru:

1. Become a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
2. Establish a National Human Rights Institution in compliance with the Paris Principles.
3. Repeal any laws or policies permitting corporal punishment in schools and adopt effective teacher training measures to promote positive, nonviolent discipline at schools.

Universal Periodic Review of Nepal, Statement by Australia, 21 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia acknowledges the importance of Nepal's commitment to and progress on human rights, including following the unrest of 2025.

We encourage the interim government to ensure the forthcoming elections are peaceful, inclusive and accountable.

We encourage Nepal to fully implement recommendations from its last Universal Periodic Review.

Australia recommends Nepal:

1. Strengthen efforts to eliminate gender-based violence in line with international standards and ensure access to justice for victim-survivors, including by repealing the statute of limitations for reporting offences.
2. Safeguard freedom of expression by ensuring that new legislation supports media and online freedoms and protects journalists, human rights defenders, and all individuals from threats, intimidation, and violence.
3. Ensure the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, refrain from excessive use of force by security agencies, and conduct impartial investigations into protest-related violence, ensuring accountability for perpetrators.

Universal Periodic Review of the Sultanate of Oman, Statement by Australia, 22 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia welcomes Oman's social protection and labour law reforms and recent ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Australia remains concerned about gender discrimination in family and citizenship law, the vulnerability of domestic workers lacking full labour-law protections, and the continued application of the death penalty.

Australia recommends Oman:

1. Implement further reforms that eliminate discrimination against women in matters of family and citizenship law, including Royal Decree 94/2025 granting Omani nationality.
2. Implement reforms to the labour law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023 to expressly include protections for domestic workers.
3. Establish a formal moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to abolition of the death penalty.

Universal Periodic Review of Rwanda, Statement by Australia, 21 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia acknowledges Rwanda's efforts to improve the human rights of women and girls since the last review.

We remain concerned about reports of shrinking civic spaces, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and unlawful killings. We have raised concerns regarding Rwanda's extraterritorial activities in this and other forums.

Australia recommends Rwanda:

1. Uphold the rights to freedom of expression and association, including by protecting journalists and enabling civil society to operate freely.
2. Increase transparency in the legal system and commission independent investigations into allegations of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and unlawful detentions.
3. Take action to eliminate all cases of enforced disappearance and ensure all cases are thoroughly and impartially investigated and perpetrators brought to justice.

Universal Periodic Review of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Statement by Australia, 27 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia welcomes the progress made by Saint Kitts and Nevis since its last review, particularly the decriminalisation of same-sex relations.

Australia remains deeply concerned that Saint Kitts and Nevis retains the death penalty in law.

Australia recommends Saint Kitts and Nevis:

1. Become a party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
2. Strengthen anti-discrimination frameworks and legislation to address discrimination against LGBTQIA+ persons.
3. Increase investment in gender-based violence prevention and data collection to ensure accountability and effective service delivery for victim-survivors.

Universal Periodic Review of Saint Lucia, Statement by Australia, 22 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia welcomes the progress made by Saint Lucia in improving its human rights situation, noting the decriminalisation of same-sex relations, judicial system reforms and application of the Health and Family Life Education program.

Australia welcomes the reactivation of the National Coordinating Committee for Human Rights.

Australia recommends Saint Lucia:

1. Become a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
2. Abolish the death penalty by replacing the de facto moratorium with permanent legislative measures.
3. Strengthen anti-discrimination frameworks and legislation to address discrimination against LGBTQIA+ persons.

Universal Periodic Review of Sao Tome and Principe, Statement by Australia, 27 January 2026

We thank the delegation for its presentation.

Australia welcomes the passage of legislation to prevent corruption and the repealing of regulations prohibiting pregnant teenagers from attending high school.

Australia remains concerned by high levels of gender-based violence and violence against children.

Australia recommends Sao Tome and Principe:

1. Adopt anti-discrimination legislation to explicitly extend protections to LGBTQIA+ persons and prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics.
2. Strengthen enforcement of gender-based violence laws by establishing specialised police and judicial units and providing training on preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
3. Become a party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.