SNAICC welcomes the opportunities and responsibilities as elected Convenor of the Indigenous Sub-Group on Children and Youth (the ISG).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have the same rights as other Australian children, including the right to be safe, the right to health care, the right to education and so on. They also have unique rights within Australia as the Indigenous people of this land. The birthright that each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child is privileged to inherit is a unique cultural and spiritual heritage that stretches back over 40,000 years.
SNAICC has taken on the role as ISG Convenor as a great opportunity to increase international awareness and focus on the success stories and the challenges facing our children and families.
What is the ISG?
- is made up of Indigenous NGOs from around the world.
- is part of the NGO Group (a body comprising international NGOs) for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- the NGO Group assists the monitoring body of the Convention (the Committee on the Convention of the Rights of the Child) by facilitating NGO views and opinions. See http://www.childrightsnet.org/ for more information.
What does the ISG do?
- the ISG is primarily a knowledge sharing and networking avenue, not a representative body.
- the ISG drove the consultation and writing for the General Comment on Indigenous children and their rights under the Convention.
- The General Comment No.11 (2009) by the Committee on the Rights of the Child provides directions to States (member countries such as Australia) on how to interpret the Convention on the Rights of the Child for Indigenous children. See http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/comments.htm for full text.
- SNAICC had involvement in the writing of the GC.
Current plans of the ISG involve:
- increasing awareness of General Comment (eg, through creation of templates of publications, posters etc for Indigenous groups to adapt and use);
- work on examining the awareness of and reference to the General Comment by the Committee on the CRC and States in their Reports to the Committee on the CRC;
- an implementation plan for the General Comment; and
- increasing membership and supporters.
For more information on the ISG, contact : Manager Policy and Research Emma Sydenham
What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRoC)?
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international treaty to which the Australian Government (and all UN Members except USA and Somalia) is party.
- Australia is required to implement the CRC in domestic laws and policies.
- see the SNAICC factsheet on the CRoC (available soon).
