Child rights in Australia

By Jade Bae, UNICEF Australia Communications Intern

About two months ago, I walked into the UNICEF Australia office, slightly nervous, excited (I’m a multi-tasker, can you tell?) and determined to not make a fool of myself on the first day.

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By Kaitlin Bakker, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador
Imagine a world where poverty is unheard of, where children of all races, genders and sexes are equal, where women are empowered and where all children are fed and educated. As young people in Australia, we can create this dream. Read more...

By Verity Smith, UNICEF Australia Advocacy Intern - Adults make decisions about so many aspects of children’s lives. This is not a license to control the voiceless or the powerless – it is a responsibility to make sure that we protect them. Read more...

By Roopa Varadharajan, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador. This week we reflect on the milestone of the 4th anniversary of the Australian Government’s apology to Indigenous Australians. Read more...

By Adelaide Rief, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador
Reflecting back on being a teenager I have, for the most part, some really lovely memories of going to a great school, being pretty happy most of the time and having a great family who could put food on the table at every meal (and delicious food at that).  And importantly I had all those things because and despite of the fact that I am a girl.  Read more...

By Mia Cox, UNICEF Advocacy Intern
The other day I watched the latest Four Corners episode entitled “Poor Kids”.  This documentary followed the real lives of three children in the UK who are living below the national poverty line. It was a dark and depressing tale, as you could almost see the potential and spirit of these children being slowly extinguished by the tightening grip of parental unemployment, debt, stigmatisation and increasing anxiety about the future.
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By Angelica Tziotis, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador
Sitting on a bus one afternoon last year, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the conversation occurring between two older women sitting in the seat in front of me.
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By Mia Cox, UNICEF Australia Advocacy Intern
Working towards reducing poverty, making art and getting my girlpower on are probably my three greatest passions. Read more...

By Lauren King, UNICEF Australia Communication Intern
This week marks the ten year anniversary of the Tampa crisis, an event which called into question Australia’s commitment to its human rights obligations and legal responsibilities. Read more...

By Mia Cox, UNICEF Australia Advocacy Intern
On Friday, Monique (UNICEF Aust Advocacy Officer), myself and a huge box of art supplies travelled to Lindfield to participate in a fun and fabulous card design workshop with two Girl Guide units. Read more...

By Angelica Tziotis, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador
Everyone has the right to a childhood, the right to grow up and experience the wonders of the world at their own pace. But these rights are not always granted, and many find themselves stripped of such privileges. Read more...

By Lauren King, UNICEF Australia Communications Intern
Numerous unaddressed child rights issues and violations are taking place in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children remain some of the most disadvantaged and ignored children in the country. Read more...

By Kaitlin Bakker, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador
Did you know that indigenous kids are 28 times more likely to be imprisoned than other children in Australia?
It’s a shocking statistic that belies the common belief that Australia is the land of the fair go.
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By Adam Baidawi, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador
Every so often, I’ll stay up ‘til 4 or 5am. Being a freelance writer—tackling deadlines and annoying, sudden bursts of inspiration—this isn’t wholly surprising. But what kept me up the other night was Go Back To Where You Came From. Read more...

By Tom Morrison, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador
Every four years the UN Human Rights council conducts what’s known as a "Universal Periodic Review” of every country, and this time Australia’s drawn the lucky card. The review is essentially a report card, detailing what’s going well and what needs to be improved. So how did Australia do? Not so well... Read more...

By Lauren King, UNICEF Australia Communications Intern
By the end 2010, there were 43.7 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, the highest number in 15 years. Of these, 15.4 million were refugees, 837,500 asylum-seekers and 27.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). Read more...

By Miriam Cox, UNICEF Advocacy Intern
It seems to have been a stroke of political luck for the Gillard government, as the kafuffle over leaked documents about Australia’s asylum seeker swap plans with Malaysia, was usurped by the drama of live cattle being exported to meet their grizzly ends in Indonesian abattoirs. Read more...

By Ali Hiscocks, UNICEF Australia skilled volunteer

Growing up in Australia, we are taught Aboriginal Studies in school. We are taught about the history of white settlement. We learn about discrimination and exclusion, murder, dispossession and the destruction of a traditional way of life. Guilt and obligation creep in to young hearts and minds early on. Read more...

By Alison Hiscocks, UNICEF Australia skilled volunteer
I don’t like jogging. I know it’s good for me but somehow, when it comes to the crunch (excuse the fitness pun), any excuse will do. A fail safe way to get me going is to tell someone my intention. Accountability makes it harder to lapse on my commitment. Accountability leads to action. This is true for everyone.
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By Sarah Drury, UNICEF Australia Skilled Volunteer
Overshadowed by Japan's terrible earthquake and tsuanami, it was easy to miss another event on the weekend: a riot by detainees at the Christmas Island detention centre, suppressed by tear gas and so-called “bean-bag bullets.” Read more...

By Alison Hiscocks, UNICEF Australia skilled volunteer
This weekend marks the third anniversary of the Federal Government’s historic apology to Australia’s Indigenous people for centuries of injustice. A day where words of regret, such as “profound grief, suffering and loss” fell on indigenous children’s ears, as they watched tears roll down their parent’s and grandparent’s cheeks. Read more...

By Anokhee Shah, UNICEF Australia Communications Intern
We are lucky in Australia to have access to health and education, without the problems of economic instability and wartime strife.
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