On International Human Rights Day, Thursday 10 December 2020, members of the Rights Resource Network SA gathered to discuss whether South Australia – a jurisdiction with a proud tradition of leadership in the area of social justice and equality – should establish a human rights framework to guide the process of policy-making and lawmaking.
Starting with the big picture, the Network heard from a panel of experts on what a South Australian human rights framework could look like, and what legal, structural, and policy-related changes that would demand or could create. Participants were invited to reflect on these themes in a practical way through thematic workshops on key rights issues facing South Australia. Workshop topics included: poverty and access to social security; age of criminality and Aboriginal incarceration; housing and homelessness; family violence and family safety; right to protest and environmental protection; and citizens’ engagement with parliament and policy. These workshops were led by academic researchers and local community organisations, and supported by student volunteers.
Each workshop developed a series of actions for the Network to consider taking forward – either by joining together to form new alliances and collectives, or through supporting the continued leadership of existing organisations. This report contains a summary of these actions, as well as range of reports of the key themes and issues discussed at the Workshop. It is designed to help guide the Network’s future research priorities, and to be used as a resource for those contemplating rights-related reforms in South Australia.
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Thanks for everything you do!