Race

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is 21 March each year.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the right to not be discriminated against on the basis of race. Additionally, multiple forms of discrimination may also occur when you are both an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and are also young, elderly, a woman, disabled or poor.

This right to equality is protected internationally through the International Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)

The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (RDA) gives effect to ICERD, and aims to ensure that all Australian’s are treated equally and have the same opportunities. Its major objectives are to:

promote equality before the law for all persons, regardless of their race, colour or national or ethnic origin, and

make discrimination against people on the basis of their race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin unlawful.

The RDA also provides for 'special measures'.

The NTER legislation suspended the application of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) (RDA) for all parts of the NT Intervention, and has been justified through being defined as a 'special measure'.

Other measures to assist with the elimination of racial discrimination include:

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people

The 2009 Durban Review Conference

Click here for further information on:

What is Racial Discrimination?

Race Discrimination in Australia

Get Active

If you feel that you have been discriminated against on the basis of race you can Get Active and:

Make a complaint

Report back to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).