Australian Support for Human Rights

To mark International Human Rights Day, Australia will provide A$50,000 to the Centre for Study and Child Protection to implement a project in North Sumatra.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, said the project aimed to help prevent the trafficking of women and children for sexual purposes.

The one-year project involves theatre shows aimed at raising awareness among community groups in North Sumatra.

The project was selected for funding under the Australian Government’s Human Rights Small Grants Scheme which provides funding to community based non-government organisations and human rights institutions for projects that promote and protect human rights.

Australia will contribute nearly A$3 million through the Human Rights Small Grants Scheme to fund projects that promote and protect human rights across Asia, the Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.

International Human Rights Day, celebrated annually on 10 December, is the anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Australia was involved in drafting the Declaration and was one of 48 states who 61 years ago voted in favour of the Declaration.

“The protection and promotion of human rights are vital to global efforts to achieve lasting peace, security, freedom and dignity for all,” Mr Farmer said.

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