Australia-China Dialogue

Australia-Vietnam Dialogue

Australia-Iran Dialogue

Established

1997

2002

1999

No. of Dialogue Sessions

9 sessions held alternately in China and Australia :

• 5 in Beijing (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 & 2005); and
• 4 in Canberra (1998, 2000, 2002 & 2004).

3 sessions held alternately in Vietnam and Australia :

• 2 in Hanoi (2002 & 2004);and
• 1 in Canberra (2003).

1 session held in Iran .

• Tehran (2002)

Participants

DFAT, AG’s, AusAID, HREOC & Ministeries of Foreign Affairs, Justice & Public Security, Supreme People’s Court et al.

DFAT, AG’s, AusAID, HREOC & Ministeries of Foreign Affairs, Public Security & Justice, Supreme People’s Procuracy et al.

DFAT, AG’s, AusAID, HREOC & Ministeries of Foreign Affairs and Justice, Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) et al.

Discussion Topics

• Restrictions on freedom of assembly, association, expression and religion;
• Situation in Tibet & Xingjiang (incl. Falun Gong);
• Dissidents (incl. representations on individual cases of concern);
• Legal reform;
• Ratification of international covenants;
• Death penalty;
• Torture and other degrading practices;
• Coercive family planning policies; and
• Rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS.

• Political and religious prisoners (incl. representations on individual cases of concern);
• Ethnic and religious minorities in central highlands;
• Restrictions on use of internet;
• Reforms in Vietnam ’s criminal justice system;
• Trafficking of women and children; and
• Death penalty.

• Respective constitutional, judicial and legal systems;
• Position of minorities (incl. Baha’is and Jews);
• Freedom of the press;
• Role of national human rights institutions;
• Women’s rights; and
• Prisoners (including representations on individual cases of concern).

Associated Site Visits

In Australia :

• Sydney (1998, 2000 and 2002)-NSW District Court, Long Bay Gaol, Police Integrity Commission, HREOC, Tranby Indigenous College, Parliament House et al.

In China :

• Qingai (1999)-3 villages (Hui, Tibetan & Han);
• Sichuan (2001); and
• Tibet (2003)- Lhasa .

In Australia :

• Sydney (2003)-Administrative Appeals Tribunal, NSW Police, Australian Law Reform Commission, NSW Council for Civil Liberties et al.

In Vietnam :

• Hanoi (2004)-Supreme People’s Court, Ho Chi Minh Political Academy & Vietnam Women’s Union ; and
• Central Highlands (2004)- Gia Lai and Dak Lak Provinces .

In Iran :

• Tehran (2002) – a Tehran prison

HREOC’s Technical Cooperation Programs & Activities

Australia-China Human Rights Technical Cooperation (HRTC) Program:

• Legal reform and capacity building;
• Education;
• Police ethics;
• Women and children’s rights;
• Role of civil society; and
• Implementation of international human rights instruments.

HREOC hosted a study visit to Australia by officials from the Government of Vietnam in 2003 (following the second dialogue).

Australian participants included:

• HREOC;
• Australian Law Reform Association;
• Australian Human Rights Centre et al.

HREOC hosted a visit to Australia by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in 2003.

Australian participants included:

• HREOC;
• Australian Human Rights Centre;
• Diplomacy Training Program;
• Public Interest Advocacy Program; and
• Kingsford Legal Centre.

For further details see:

Attachment 1: Activities with China , Submission no. 14, pp. 8-44

Table 1, China-Australia Human Rights Technical Cooperation Program (HRTC) HRTC Activities 1997-2004 – Summary of Impacts, Submission, p. 17, pp. 22-29

Vietnamese Government identified 4 areas for future technical cooperation:

• Human rights training for Vietnamese officials;
• Strengthening of administrative tribunals;
• Development of legal aid system; and
• Minority rights.

For further details see:

Attachment 2: Activity with Vietnam , Submission no. 14, pp. 17-28

IHRC identified 4 areas for possible future technical cooperation:

• Complaint handling procedures;
• Education and public affairs;
• Scholarships for IHRC officials to study at Australian universities; and
• Joint seminars on human rights issues.

For further details see:

Attachment 3: Activity with Iran , Submission no. 14, pp. 29- 44

Other AusAID-funded activities

• $600, 000 of assistance to the Vietnam Research Centre for Human Rights at the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy; and
• study tours run by the ANU’s Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI)

For details see:

Appendix A, Submission no. 17, pp. 17-18

Human Rights Small Grant Scheme

$192, 096 of assistance to organisations, including:

• Youth Social Work Centre HCMC (legal support for children in difficult circumstances); and
• Population Council (for domestic violence prevention activities).

For details see:

Table 2, Submission no. 17, p.30

$48, 266 of assistance to the Population Council and UNICEF for human rights and legal training and advocacy.

For details see:

Table 2, Submission no. 17, p. 31