UN releases first publication on The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, welcomed the launch of the report. Calma said that we are not immune in Australia from the challenges and issues raised in this report.
In April 2009, the Australian Government formally endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Calma said the challenge now is to ensure that the Declaration continually informs and shapes government policy and program development.
“In recent years, as a nation, we have taken some giant steps forward in relation to our Indigenous peoples,” said Calma.
“Our own Commission has completed significant research and undertaken projects concerning many of the key issues highlighted in the United Nation’s first report on The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
“However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remain marginalised in Australia and face entrenched poverty and ongoing discrimination on a daily basis.
“We will not have provided solutions to all the challenges we face until Indigenous people have true participation and are real partners in efforts to Close the Gap in health, education, housing and have access to the same human rights protections as other Australians,” Calma said.
