Amnesty is committed to First Nations Justice: Why we take human rights concerns to the UN

International advocacy does not replace domestic campaigning or First Nations leadership. It strengthens these efforts by bringing additional attention to human rights concerns and increasing pressure on governments to act. One important avenue is the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a process through which UN member states examine one another's human rights records and make recommendations to improve human rights protections.

Ahead of the UPR, Amnesty International Australia's Indigenous Rights team engaged with embassies and diplomatic representatives of various governments in Australia, advocating for recommendations that reflected our campaign priorities and the human rights concerns raised by First Nations communities.

Many countries subsequently put forward recommendations that aligned with the issues we had raised. This demonstrates the importance of sustained international engagement and the role that advocacy can play in ensuring First Nations human rights concerns are reflected in international scrutiny of Australia's human rights record.

Kacey Teerman, Strategic Campaigner for Indigenous Rights at Amnesty International Australia, said:

"International advocacy is a critical part of how we hold the Australian Government accountable for its human rights obligations. Through the Universal Periodic Review, we engaged with embassies and saw many countries raise recommendations that reflected the concerns we had advocated for.

"We need to keep building on that momentum. Disappointingly, the Australian Government rejected a key recommendation by world governments to raise the age of criminal responsibility in its response to the UPR.

"The Special Rapporteur's visit is another opportunity to shine a light on the ongoing injustices experienced by First Nations peoples, elevate our calls for change and ensure the Government cannot continue to ignore these issues. We will keep pushing for meaningful action to protect the rights of First Nations peoples and children."

In 2025, Professor Megan Davis and Associate Professor Hannah McGlade lodged a complaint with the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, raising concerns about systemic racial discrimination and human rights violations affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia's youth justice systems.

In May 2026, the Committee acted under its Early Warning and Urgent Action procedure, expressing serious concern about the persistent overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the criminal justice system and calling on Australian governments to address structural racial discrimination and fulfil their international human rights obligations.

This is an important example of how First Nations leaders can use formal international processes to bring urgent human rights concerns to the attention of the global community. It demonstrates that these mechanisms provide a way to elevate issues that have been raised by communities for generations and seek a response from international human rights bodies.

However, international scrutiny must be followed by meaningful action. The Committee's intervention does not, on its own, guarantee reform. Governments must respond to its concerns and recommendations with concrete changes that protect First Nations children and address the systemic discrimination they experience.

This is why continued advocacy matters. From lobbying embassies through the Universal Periodic Review to engaging with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Amnesty International Australia will continue to use available international mechanisms to shine a light on injustice and maintain pressure on the Australian Government to act.

The Special Rapporteur is an independent human rights expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine the rights of Indigenous peoples, engage with communities and governments and make recommendations to address human rights concerns.

The visit provides an opportunity for First Nations communities, organisations and advocates to share their experiences and priorities directly with an international human rights expert. It also creates an opportunity to examine how Australia is meeting its obligations and what further action is needed.

Amnesty International Australia's Indigenous Rights team made a submission ahead of the visit, outlining our campaign asks and the human rights concerns we want brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur. Our submission builds on our broader advocacy, including our work to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility, end harmful practices in youth detention and secure stronger protections for children in contact with the justice system.

The visit is not an isolated event. It is part of a broader effort to ensure these injustices remain visible, First Nations voices are heard and the Australian Government faces continued pressure to deliver meaningful reform.

Read more: Why the Special Rapporteur visit matters: Australia's record on First Nations rights under the spotlight

These issues are not simply matters of domestic policy. They concern Australia's obligations under international human rights frameworks, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture.

Through our Kids Need Better campaign, Amnesty is calling for the minimum age of criminal responsibility to be raised to at least 14, enforceable protections for children in detention, an end to harmful detention practices and investment in Indigenous led, community based alternatives. First Nations children deserve safety, dignity, connection to family and culture and the opportunity to thrive. Governments must prioritise care, support and accountability rather than practices that deepen harm.

Uncle Rodney Dillon said:

"First Nations peoples have been raising these injustices for generations. We should not have to keep fighting to have our rights recognised and respected. Taking these issues to the United Nations is one way we can make sure the Australian Government is held accountable to its human rights obligations.

The Special Rapporteur's visit is an important opportunity to shine a light on what is happening in Australia, listen to First Nations communities and keep pushing for the changes our people and our children deserve."

International recommendations must lead to action. International scrutiny is important, but recommendations alone are not enough. Governments must respond with concrete reforms, implement their human rights obligations and be held accountable for the outcomes.

The Universal Periodic Review and the Special Rapporteur's visit are different mechanisms, but both provide opportunities to keep First Nations human rights on the international agenda and press the Australian Government to address longstanding concerns.