The ‘Nauru Files’ reported in today’s media present new allegations of widespread and appalling abuse of children in immigration detention on Nauru.
The reports of more than 1,000 incidents involving children cannot be ignored. This includes seven cases of sexual assault of a child and 59 reports of physical assault.
Today’s reports add to an already substantial body of information about the harm caused to children by Government-funded immigration detention centres. The investigation by the Human Rights Commission in 2014 and the Government-commissioned Moss Review and Cornall Reports last year highlighted urgent protection issues for children in immigration detention. In 2015, more than 100 organisations, including ChildFund Australia, called for an end to the transfers of children, women and men to Nauru and Manus Island. While the Government has moved to reduce the number of children in immigration detention, many still remain.
Australia has a duty of care for these children, as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states ‘no child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’.
ChildFund calls on the Australian Government to immediately transfer children and their families from immigration detention on Nauru to community arrangements in Australia. Further, the allegations of abuse in Australian-run immigration detention centres should be examined by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The situation on Nauru is not safe for children. It is unacceptable that children are being harmed. The Australian Government must act immediately to bring these children to safety.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop has launched the Coalition’s foreign policy agenda, stating that it intends to deliver a ‘sustainable, effective and affordable aid program that helps developing countries reduce poverty and promote sustainable economic growth’.
The policy includes a welcome proposal to establish regional health security partnerships to tackle emerging health issues in our region. ChildFund Australia CEO Nigel Spence said: “We welcome the Coalition’s decision to prioritise health outcomes in our region. Preventable diseases in the Asia-Pacific can be life-threatening for thousands of already vulnerable children and families living in poverty, and present health risks for Australians.
Mr Spence added: “The extremely high incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Papua New Guinea is now being referred to as a pandemic, which is resulting in more cases of multi-drug resistant TB. The latter is extremely difficult to treat, even in Australia. For a child living in a remote community of Papua New Guinea, without access to even basic healthcare, it means almost certain death.
“Malaria is also of extreme concern; globally one child loses their life to this disease every minute. Even when not life-threatening, it can have a serious impact on child health – infection during pregnancy can lead to other complications, and children who are repeatedly ill may become anaemic, impacting their long-term growth and development.”
The Coalition policy also proposes a Pacific Women Mentoring Programme to encourage more women in the Pacific to take on leadership roles, particularly in policy making.
“ChildFund is very supportive of programs which promote gender equality,” said Mr Spence. “Promoting the human rights of women and girls and addressing the disadvantages they face is essential for all poverty alleviation initiatives. We know that where we can provide opportunities for women to obtain leadership positions, to be heard, and participate in their communities, the positive social and economic benefits for local communities can be significant.”
However, the fact remains that the Australian Government’s overseas development assistance budget is at its lowest ever level.
Mr Spence said: “Australia has committed itself to the Sustainable Development Goals, which include increasing our aid funding to 0.7 per cent of GNI by 2030. However, neither of the major parties is willing to commit to a timeline for meeting this goal.
“This is why ChildFund is urging all political representatives to agree to a bi-partisan aid policy, one that will restore funding levels and ensure that we can continue to provide effective and life-saving support to vulnerable children and families in our region and beyond.”
