Press releasesOffice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
UN human rights chief Navi Pillay to visit Australia, 20-25 May 2011
Pillay in Australia
18 May 2011
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18 May 2011
GENEVA – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay will on Friday begin her first official visit to Australia to discuss rights issues with the Government, the Australian Human Rights Commission, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and non-governmental organizations.
During her six days in the country, Pillay will visit Darwin, Cairns, Sydney and Canberra. She is due to meet a number of parliamentarians and officials, including the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, ministers dealing with indigenous affairs, immigration and citizenship, and the Attorney-General. She will also visit an immigration detention facility and meet with migrant communities and asylum seekers.
The UN human rights chief will focus broadly on the following issues: the legislative protection of human rights in Australia, discrimination against indigenous people, treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, as well as Australia’s international and regional policies with regards to human rights.
Pillay will also visit the Yarrabah Aboriginal community in Far North Queensland and participate in a high-level Government roundtable on human rights with an indigenous focus.
The High Commissioner will speak at a public event in Sydney Town Hall organized by the Australian Human Rights Commission on 23 May, and hold a press conference on 25 May at 11:30 at the United Nations Information Centre in Canberra.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Australia: Julia Dean. United Nations Information Centre + 61 2 6270 9205 (d) / 61 433 944 427 (m) / julia.dean@unic.org
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