Asylum Seeker and refugee responses in Australia
1. Identify and Summarise human rights agreements that Australia is a signatory to recognising the right to seek asylum
Australia is a signatory to multiple human rights agreements. Australia is obligated to accept asylum seekers as it a human right that has been declared by the United Nations. Two of the international agreements that Australia has signed to and has recognised are the following: The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its subsequent Protocol & the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees.
The 1951 Convention to the Status of Refugees and its subsequent protocol protects refugees.
By definition, a refugee is a person that is forced to flee his or her
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One of the more well-known steps is the use of compulsory detention within Australia. These people can be classified into two different categories – those with a valid visa to enter the country, and those without. Mandatory Detention is for those without a valid visa although those with a valid visa for entry may be held in detention regardless. The method for processing these people whilst they are in detention includes various security and health checks and the legitimacy and reasons behind their refuge in Australia. A further step with this process is Operation Sovereign Borders – This is a border protection program which was set into place with the aim of stopping maritime arrivals of asylum seekers to Australia. Operation Sovereign Borders came into effect on 18th of September 2013. It is a Military-led, border security operation that is supported and has assistance from a wide range of federal government agencies. The OSB (Operation Sovereign Borders) Joint Agency Task Force (JTAF) was established to ensure that the whole of government effort was used to combat people smuggling and protect Australian borders. The JTAF is supported by three operational task groups-which are the …show more content…
For example, they stress on the fact that seeking asylum is not illegal, but a basic human right that has been outlined by the United Nations. They aim to end offshore processing at facilities like Christmas Island and Nauru as well as ending the indefinite mandatory detention for asylum seekers and instead opt to place them into communities once their initial checks and screenings have been completed. They are also trying to ensure that Australia’s refugee status determination system is fair and is strong.
An international inter-governmental body that is prominent is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The UNHCR will monitor the decision making process and use diplomatic and public lobbyist groups to focus on the preservation of the anti-discriminatory aspect and implantation of asylum, disregarding the mode of how asylum seekers arrive.
They also aim to support government efforts towards fair and efficient Refugee Status Procedures and keeping a consistent level of judgment and consideration at different instances of asylum seekers.
Their office will monitor relations between Australia and countries such as Nauru, Papua New Guinea and the written agreement