Image: Tammy Solonec reading the statement at the EMRIP meeting.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples attending the 3rd session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) meeting in Geneva this week recommended to the Experts to call upon the Human Rights Council to urge states to initiate constitutional reform to ensure freedom from discrimination and equality before the law. This, they stated, can be achieved through dedicated seats in Parliament for Indigenous peoples, and preambular recognition of Indigenous peoples as traditional owners in the Constitution.

The delegates also recommended to the Experts that countries adopt parliamentary scrutiny of bills processes to ensure they are critically analysed against compliance with international human rights obligations, including the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The scrutiny process, they stated, could also be a process to determine the disproportionate impact of Bills on Indigenous peoples including the inequitable distribution of funding.

The delegates also recommended the immediate resourcing and development of national interpreter services for Indigenous languages; and the adoption measures to build the capacity of Indigenous individuals and groups to actively participate in government both horizontally and vertically,including measures to assist in overcoming poverty, disadvantage and trauma.

A full copy of this statement and all other statements made by Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples organisations and the Australian Government can be found here.