A report released today by the Australian Child Rights Taskforce highlights that despite two decades of consecutive economic growth, one in six children in Australia still lives below the poverty line and more than 70,000 received assistance from specialist homelessness services, with no view of a long term solution.
The report marks 25 years since Australia ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, agreeing to a set of standards and obligations for all children. The report considers the progress – and lack thereof – for children across a number of key social policy areas including family life, education and care, justice and health, and what this has meant for children. While considerable progress has been made in protecting child rights in Australia, there are a number of entrenched challenges that still need to be addressed.
The report specifically identifies that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Intersex (LGBTI) children, children from rural areas, children with disabilities and children from migrant backgrounds are still more likely to experience poverty, discrimination, social exclusion and disadvantage.
