Results

Amnesty International Australia

10/30/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2026 18:24

Why the Special Rapporteur visit matters: Australia’s record on First Nations rights under the spotlight

30 October 2026

This November, Australia's record on First Nations rights will be under the spotlight, as UN Special Rapporteur Dr Albert K. Barume visits the country to assess how the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are being upheld.

What is the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?

A Special Rapporteur is an independent human rights expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine a human rights topic for 3 years.

Their job is to examine human rights issues, hear directly from people whose rights are affected, and hold governments accountable to their international human rights obligations.

Dr Albert K. Barume, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, looks at how well countries protect Indigenous Peoples' rights, listens to communities and governments, and makes recommendations.

From 2 to 13 November (subject to change), Dr Albert K. Barume will visit Australia and meet with First Nations peoples and organisations, as well as government and civil society, to hear about the issues affecting communities and assess Australia's progress on Indigenous rights.

Why the Special Rapporteur visit matters

For First Nations communities, organisations and advocates, meeting the UN Special Rapporteur is a chance to share their experiences and priorities directly with an international human rights expert.

First Nations Peoples have raised concerns about youth incarcerations, inequities, and discrimination for generations, and UN bodies such as the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention have raised them too.

A visit from an independent expert adds another voice to that scrutiny, and the Special Rapporteur comes with a mandate focused on Indigenous Peoples' rights.

Independent scrutiny adds weight in three ways:

  1. It brings First Nations voices directly into international discussions.
  1. It holds the Australian Government to standards it has agreed to uphold, including on self-determination and systemic discrimination.
  1. It keeps the overrepresentation of First Nations children in detention visible.

A visit cannot force a government to change, and the recommendations that follow are not binding. Reform happens when governments respond with concrete action and when communities and supporters keep up the pressure.

Amnesty International Australia made a submission to the Senate inquiry into Australia's youth justice and incarceration system, ahead of the Special Rapporteur's visit, outlining our Kids Need Better campaign asks and the human rights concerns we want to bring to the spotlight.

Our Kids Need Better Campaign

Every child deserves to grow up safe, supported and connected to community. But across the country, First Nations kids are being locked up instead of getting the care and opportunities they need. Kids Need Better is our campaign for real solutions.

This is what needs to change:

  • Raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 14.
  • Establish national enforceable minimum standards that uphold the human rights of every child in custody no matter where they live.
  • End harmful practices, including spit hoods, solitary confinement and detention in adult watch houses.
  • Invest in sustained, Indigenous-led, community-based diversion and support.

Amnesty International Australia will meet with the UN Special Rapporteur, Dr Albert K. Barume during their visit to share our Kids Need Better campaign asks.

International attention matters when it helps amplify First Nations voices, strengthen accountability and turn longstanding concerns into concrete action.

Want to learn more? Download our toolkit today.

Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who take injustice personally. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all - and we can only do it with your support.

Act now or learn more about our human rights work.

Amnesty International Australia published this content on October 30, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 30, 2026 at 00:24 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]