The Importance Of Human Rights In Australia

A basic human right is a life of opportunity and dignity, free from discrimination and disadvantage. The concept of human rights recognises the inherent value of every person, including Aboriginal people. Human rights are to be enjoyed by everyone. Human rights are important to Aboriginal people, particularly Aboriginal Australians, because they are an essential component to everyday life. Human rights for Aboriginal Australians mean that they live a dignified life within Australian society, where they have their Aboriginal practices, customs and behaviours accepted, and furthermore, embraced. However, Australia has failed to protect Aboriginal Australians’ basic human rights. As a consequence, Aboriginal Australians experience racial discrimination on a daily basis. This is particularly evident with Aboriginal Australians’ right to self-determination and the forced removal from their lands. Respect for human rights promotes the well being of societies, in which every person can make a contribution and feel included. Human rights are based on the principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect. These principles are shared across all cultures, religions and …show more content…
In particular, it recognises Indigenous people’s right to self-determination, which is documented in Article 3 and Article 4 of the UNDRIP. Self-determination entails the right for people to control their own affairs through meaningful decision-making that is free from discrimination. For Aboriginal Australians, self-determination is the ‘mother of all rights’ (Cowan 2013). Self-determination is viewed as a necessary foundation for Aboriginal peoples’ enjoyment of all other rights they claim. Australia’s approach to granting Indigenous people this right has not been agreeable, both in the past and the present. Consequently, this has resulted in widespread hardship and frustration throughout the