Not For Profits Have Their Say On Child Detention

Some 11 more Not for Profits have made submissions into the National Inquiry into Children In Immigration Detention in the areas of health and disability.

These submissions were made by individual health workers and by bodies representing health workers as well as organisations and individuals whose submissions dealt mainly with health and disability issues raised by the Inquiry.

The submissions were made the following groups and are available on-line.

· Women’s Rights Action Network of Australia
· Australian Association for Infant Mental Health (AAIMH)
· Melbourne International Health and Justice group
· Australian Reproductive Health Alliance
· Dietitians Association of Australia
· National Investment for the Early years
· Barbara Rogalla – former Woomera Nurse
· Australian Nursing Federation (Vic)
· Royal college of Nursing and Australian Nursing Federation

DISABILITY

· Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW
· People with Disabilities NSW Inc
· Disability Action inc.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has received more than 200 submissions for its Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention, announced in November last year.

Other organisations to have made submission include:

 Amnesty International, Australia
 Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS)
 Keysar Trad – Lebanese Muslims Association
 UNSW Centre for Refugee Research and the Australian National Committee on Refugee Women
 International Commission of Jurists, Australian Section
 Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW
 People with Disabilities
 UNICEF Australia
 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
 Refugee Advice and Casework Service
 National Ethnic Disability Alliance
 Australian Muslim Women’s Association
 Refugee Review Tribunal
 Asylum Seekers Centre
 Chilout (Children Out of Immigration Detention)
 NSW Institute of Psychiatry and the Alliance of Professionals Concerned about the Health of Asylum Seekers & their Children

Further submissions were made by individual lawyers and by bodies representing lawyers and the judiciary as well as organisations and individuals whose submissions dealt mainly with legal issues raised by the Inquiry.

The submission can be found at www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/children_detention/submissions/index.html#health

Terms of reference for the Inquiry are available at: www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/children_detention/terms.html

Background Papers outlining international standards on children in immigration detention, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Guidelines of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on refugee and asylum seeking children are available at: www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/children_detention/background.html

They include discussions of children’s rights in relation to culture and identity, mental health and development, health and nutrition, prevention, treatment and accommodation of disabilities; education, legal status, deprivation of liberty and humane detention.

For other information about the Inquiry, see: www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/children_detention/index.html

Upcoming public hearings are scheduled for July 15, 16 & 17 in Sydney and Sydney August 5 in Brisbane.