International Convention on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR)

The ICCPR has a list of important human rights that apply to everyone in member countries. Australia ratified the ICCPR it in 1980, but the Australian government has not put these rights into federal (Australia-wide) law.

The Victorian government has put some of these rights into laws for people in Victoria. These laws are called the Victorian Charter of Human Rights. For more information on the Charter, click here.

The ICCPR protects the following rights:

• Freedom from discrimination
• Right to equality between men and women
• Right to life
• Freedom from torture
• Freedom from slavery
• Right to liberty and security of person
• Right to be treated with humanity in detention
• Freedom of movement
• Freedom of non-citizens from arbitrary expulsion
• Right to fair trial
• Right to recognition before the law
• Right to privacy
• Freedom of religion and belief
• Freedom of expression
• Right of peaceful assembly
• Freedom of association
• Right to marry and found a family
• Right of children to birth registration and a nationality
• Right to participate in public affairs
• Right to equality before the law
• Minority rights

Important: Section 32(2) of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights says that international law can be taken into account when you are interpreting Victorian laws like the Corrections Act 1986 (Vic). 

Treaty body – UN Human Rights Committee

The UN Human Rights Committee is the treaty body responsible for making sure the ICCPR is being implemented and followed in countries that have ratified the treaty (known as member countries).

All member countries must submit regular reports to the Human Rights Committee about how the ICCPR is being implemented in their country. The Committee will look at each report, address any concerns and make recommendations.

The Human Rights Committee also takes complaints about human rights breaches by member countries. This includes Australia.

For more information on making a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee, click here.

The full ICCPR can be found on the UN’s website.