Iraqi delegation visits APF, Australian Human Rights Commission

A delegation of 20 officials from the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights visited Australia earlier this month to see first-hand how different countries meet their human rights obligations.

Comprising managers, policy makers, advocates and practitioners, the delegation heard from representatives of the Australian Human Rights Commission about its complaint handling, public inquiry and community education functions, as well as its role in judicial proceedings.

Kieren Fitzpatrick, Director of the APF Secretariat, also addressed the group, providing them with information about the role of the Asia Pacific Forum and the importance of independent national human rights institutions being established in accordance with the Paris Principles.

The training program, which was funded by AusAID, introduced participants to the activities of key Australian human rights and legal organisations, including the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, the NSW Law Reform Commission, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Attorney General’s Department.

The study program had two broad aims:

• to strengthen understanding of human right principles by Iraqi government officials and provide methods and tools that assist in advocating and mainstreaming human rights into participating Ministries and the community, and
• to engage the group in practical, realistic and tangible case studies of human rights breaches and how they can best address them within the complex legal, security and social circumstances in Iraq.

The delegation, which was in Australia for four weeks, was led by Dr John Pace, who was Chief of the UN Human Rights Office in Iraq from 2004 to 2006. He was supported by Professor David Kinley from the University of Sydney.