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From: Phil Lynch [mailto:hrlrc@vicbar.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 10 September 2008 6:32 PM
To: 'Ben Schokman'
Subject: ICCPR NGO Report - Seeking your endorsement

Dear All

The purpose of this email is to seek your organisation's endorsement of an NGO Report to be submitted to the Human Rights Committee on Australia's compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).  Your endorsement is sought by 5.00pm next Thursday, 18 September 2008 at the very latest.

Background

As many of you may be aware, the National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC), the Human Rights Law Resource Centre (HRLRC) and Kingsford Legal Centre (KLC) have been compiling an NGO Report on Australia's compliance with the ICCPR.  The preparation of this Report has been with contributions and assistance from over 40 NGOs. 

The Australian Government submitted its periodic report to the Human Rights Committee in July last year.  We intend to submit this NGO Report to the Human Rights Committee in the coming weeks to inform their review of Australia's compliance with the ICCPR. 

Based on our recent experience with the NGO Report on Australia's compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) (submitted to the UN earlier this year), we envisage that this report will be extremely useful to the Human Rights Committee and will also be read widely within Government.  It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of, and make targeted recommendations regarding, the realisation of civil and political human rights in Australia.

Your Endorsement

In order for the NGO Report to have the maximum affect, we are seeking endorsements from as many organisations as possible.  Essentially, the more organisations who provide their endorsement, the better.

The attached document is an 'Endorsement Version' of the NGO Report.  We will be continuing to work over the next week to finalise minor details, in particular many of the footnotes.  Please note that the substance of the Report will not be changing.

We would also be grateful if you could distribute the NGO Report widely through your networks for endorsement.  In addition, if you are affiliated to more than one organisation (for example you might work at an organisation as well as belong to a network or peak body), please consider whether both groups can endorse the report.

As with the report prepared for the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, this report will say "This submission is supported, in whole or in part, by the following non government organisations:". Organisations, therefore, do not need to support the whole report in order to endorse it.

If you wish to endorse the report please send an email to Ben Schokman at humanrights@vicbar.com.au by 5.00pm next Thursday, 18 September 2008 at the very latest.  We appreciate that this is quite a tight timeframe but are very eager to send the Report to the Committee as soon as possible prior to their upcoming session in October at which they will be developing the 'List of Issues' to which the Australian Government will be required to respond..

We would be grateful if you could include the full name of your organisation/s so that we include it accurately in the Report.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us below. 

Thanks for all your support!

Best regards,

Ben Schokman & Phil Lynch (HRLRC)

Teena Balgi (NACLC & KLC)

Annie Pettitt (NACLC)

Ben Schokman
Lawyer
Human Rights Law Resource Centre Ltd
Level 1, 550 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne  VIC  3000
P: + 61 3 9225 6653
F: + 61 3 9225 6686
E: humanrights@vicbar.com.au
W: www.hrlrc.org.au

ICCPR_NGO_Report-Endorsement_Version.doc