Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
Submissions to Government Consultations and Processes 2011 - 2015

Women With Disabilities Australia: Submission to the Western Australian Government [Draft] Mental Health Bill 2011 (March 2012)
[Submission PDF Version] [Submission Word Version] [FIGO Guidelines PDF Version] [FIGO Guidelines Word Version]

The Western Australian Government is proposing to introduce into Parliament a new Mental Health Bill 2011. This Draft Mental Health Bill has been prepared for public comment. It would appear from the Draft Bill, that the Western Australian Government is proposing to legislate that a sterilisation procedure could be performed on a child who has a mental illness provided that the child has sufficient maturity and understanding to make reasonable decisions about matters relating to himself or herself and/or the person has given informed consent to the sterilisation procedure being performed.WWDA is of the view that this section of the Draft Bill, is in direct breach of a number of human rights treaties to which Australia is a party, and we have written to the Western Australian Minister for Mental Health requesting her urgent intervention to repeal Part 12: Division 3 [Sterilisation Procedure] from the [Draft] Mental Health Bill 2011. A copy of WWDA's Submission to the Minister is provided here, along with a copy of the recently published Guidelines on Female Contraceptive Sterilisation and Informed Consent, issued by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO).Copyright WWDA March 2012.

Women With Disabilities Australia: Submission to the United Nations Thematic Study on Violence Against Women With Disabilities (December 2011) [PDF Version] [Word Version] [Text Only/Large Print]
In mid June 2011, at its 17th session, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a Resolution to accelerate efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women. The Resolution called for a study to be conducted on the issue of violence against women and girls and disabilities, with the report of the study to be presented to the 20th session of the Human Rights Council in 2012. WWDA's Submission to the preparation phase of the UN Analytical Study on Violence Against Women and Girls with Disabilities, provides an overview of the legislation, regulatory frameworks, policy, administrative procedures, services and support available within Australia to prevent and address violence against women and girls with disabilities. It provides detailed information under the following themes: data and statistics; legislation and policies; prevention and protection; prosecution and punishment, and recovery, rehabilitation and social integration. Copyright WWDA December 2011.

Women With Disabilities Australia: Submission to the Australian Government's Fifth Report under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)(November 2011)
[Submission PDF Version] [Submission Word Version] [Sterilisation Briefing Paper PDF Version] [Sterilisation Briefing Paper Word Version]

The Committee Against Torture is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) by its State parties. All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. Australia's fifth report to the Committee Against Torture is due in August 2012. In late 2011, WWDA was invited by the Australian Government to submit initial views on information we believe should be included in the Australian Government's report. This document is WWDA's brief submission to the Australian Government and focuses on forced sterilisation of women and girls with disabilities in Australia - a continuing state sanctioned practice which clearly gives rise to torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. WWDA's Submission is supplemented by an international briefing paper 'Sterilization of Women and Girls with Disabilities', published in October 2011 and prepared by WWDA, Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Open Society Foundations, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA) as part of the Global Campaign to Stop Torture in Health Care. Copyright WWDA November 2011.

Women With Disabilities Australia: Policy Paper: 'Assessing the situation of women with disabilities in Australia: A human rights approach'(July 2011) [PDF Version] [Word Version]
This Paper uses a human rights framework to document the range of data, research and information needed in order to give a comprehensive assessment of the situation of women with disabilities in Australia. The paper provides the context for this work by giving an overview of the intersection of gender and disability, as well as a brief background to the human rights imperative. Using key articles from the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the paper then prescribes the key quantitative and qualitative data and research required under each article, and links this to Australia's international human rights obligations and domestic policy context. Copyright WWDA July 2011.

Women With Disabilities Australia: 'Submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteurs regarding forced sterilisation in Australia'(June 2011) [PDF Version] [Word Version]
In late June 2011, WWDA submitted a formal communication to the United Nations regarding the ongoing practice of forced sterilisation in Australia. WWDA's Submission was sent simultaneously to four of the United Nations Special Rapporteurs, Mr. Shuaib Chalklen (Special Rapporteur on Disability); Mr. Anand Grover (Special Rapporteur on the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health); Ms. Rashida Manjoo (Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women); and Mr. Juan E Méndez (Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment). Copyright WWDA June 2011.

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) and Women With Disabilities Victoria: 'Joint Submission to Productivity Commission's Draft Report National Disability Care and Support Inquiry'(May 2011) [PDF Version] [Word Version]
The emphasis for this joint Submission from WWDA and Women With Disabilities Victoria is how to ensure lived experiences which arise from gender, with attention to the perspective of women and girls in particular, are considered in the development of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and addressed in its implementation. The Submission addresses a number of issues of specific interest to women with disabilities, including for example: Sexuality, Parenting and Reproductive Rights; Health and wellbeing; Employment; and, Safety and violence. The Submission includes a number of case studies to highlight and give a context to the issues raised, and contains a number of specific recommendations. Copyright WWDA June 2011.

Women With Disabilities Australia: 'Submission to the Attorney General's Department on the Background Paper on 'A New National Human Rights Action Plan for Australia' (February 2011) [PDF Version] [Word Version]
In December 2010, the Attorney-General's Department released a Background Paper outlining the strategy for the development of 'A new National Human Rights Action Plan for Australia'. WWDA was invited to provide comment on the Background Paper, and subsequently developed a written Submission which was forwarded to the Attorney-General's Department in February 2011. WWDA's Submission strongly endorsed the Government's commitment to develop a national human rights action plan.WWDA's Submission to the Background Paper contains a number of recommendations, several which focus on the process (as outlined in the Background Paper) of developing the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP). Copyright WWDA February 2011.
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