Communication report and search

OHCHR.org

1 communications found
Date, Country,
Type and
ref. no. of
communication
Mandates Summary Replies received
    13 Oct 2025
    Australia
    JAL
  • poverty
  • Indigenous Peoples
Information received concerning allegations of the ongoing widespread and discriminatory removals of Aboriginal children from their families by child protection authorities in Western Australia. While the practices have deep historical roots, dating back to systemic removal policies of previous decades, the concern remains highly relevant today. Despite the national apology nearly two decades ago—a significant moment in acknowledging the profound trauma caused by such practices—Australia’s First Nations children continue to be removed from their families of origin at alarming rates. The ongoing overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care suggests that the process of healing and reform remains incomplete. Such decisions to separate children from their families allegedly take place routinely in response to conditions of structural poverty and housing insecurity, and without adequate procedural safeguards. These practices appear incompatible with Australia's obligations under international human rights law, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Alleged victims: -
More details...
14 Jan 2026