Australia is a stable, democratic and culturally diverse nation with a highly skilled workforce and one of the strongest performing economies in the world.
Australia commends Germany’s commitment to human rights and acknowledges its efforts to prioritise gender equality in international engagements, develop self-determination laws protecting LGBTQIA+ people’s rights, and implement legislation addressing human rights violations in supply chains.
Australia commends Tuvalu on its innovative climate adaptation measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the human rights of people in Tuvalu, such as the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project.
Australia commends Uzbekistan’s closure of Jaslyk [Jas-lik] prison colony, efforts to eliminate detainee torture, criminalisation of domestic violence, and strengthening protections for women and girls.
Australia commends Colombia’s commitment to improving human rights and pursuing ‘total peace’. We welcome Colombia’s commitment to advancing gender equality and the rights of First Nations and LGBTQIA+ persons.
Australia commends Cabo Verde’s continued leadership to protect and promote LGBTQIA+ rights through draft legislation criminalising acts of discrimination based on any grounds, including against LGBTQIA+ persons.
Australia commends Turkmenistan’s cooperation with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and notes Turkmenistan’s efforts to take steps to uphold human rights through its recent release of political prisoners.
The 44th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a United Nations process that considers the human rights record of each UN Member State. It is a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council.
Today we want to focus on mayors of towns and cities Russia has attempted to illegally annex. At least 30 mayors have been detained since 24 February 2022. At least six remain in Russia’s custody.
It is our responsibility to recognise early warning signs and react swiftly and decisively to protect populations at risk, but also to confront deeply entrenched racism.
