The term “human rights” refers to the basic freedoms and protections that all people are entitled to, simply for being human. Today, Australia faces the challenge of Asylum seekers, many of whom which have currently been denied their basic human rights. The government’s policy of creating immigration detention Facilities as a way of detaining unauthorised asylum seekers may be a solution the problem of controlling Australia’s borders, however, violates the human rights of this group in Australia.
One strategy that addresses this issue is the implementation of community detention, which has many positive and negative aspects. Many people seek refuge in Australia to escape the terrors of their past lives back home. Due to Australia’s strict visa policy, many asylum seekers arrive in Australia by boat because they are denied other means of entry, such as the closing down of other possibilities for legal travel. This has led to an increase in the number of asylum-seeker boats coming to Australia over the past year, with the number of people held in immigration detention reaching record highs.
The policy was put in place to act as a deterrent to future undocumented arrivals, which clearly has not been working as in the past year, the number of people held in detention centres increased to 12 967. Immigration detention centres differ little from prisons, with conditions such as no psychiatrists, community and support groups allowed no access, lack of interpreters and extreme isolation. This can lead to long term effects on already traumatised people, not to mention the substantial economic costs involved.
The Essay on Australia has a policy of indefinite detention for asylum seekers. Do you feel this is a breach of human rights? Why or why not?
... asylum seekers and refugees – are given special protection under international law. The conditions for and treatment of people in immigration detention should comply with Australia’s ... international human rights obligations. These are contained in a ...
The Australian Government has obligations under various international treaties to ensure that the human rights of asylum seekers are respected and protected; however, these rights include the right not to be arbitrarily detained, which Australia violates. The detention policy also contravenes with article ‘14’ of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that the people have the right to ‘seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution’. One particular strategy that addresses these human rights issues faced by asylum seekers in Australia is the alternative of the community detention program.
Set up by the Howard government in 2005, community detention is designed to enable asylum seekers in closed detention facilities, and who have multiple vulnerabilities, to move into a less-damaging environment in the community. It provides support to families with children, unaccompanied minors and individual adults, as determined eligible by Department of Immigration and Citizenship to live in the community, while waiting for the outcomes of their visa application.
The Red Cross is funded by the Department of Immigration to find dwellings for asylum seekers approved to be released into community detention. This policy has several positives and negatives. Several benefits are a result of this policy. Firstly, community detention allows for asylum seekers to reside in a more humane and friendlier community environment, instead waiting for an unknown length of time in a detention facility. This can lead to asylum seekers having improved physical and mental health outcomes and are more likely to positively integrate into the Australian community.
Secondly, living conditions are also profoundly better as compared to the prison-like detention centres, with features such as a living allowance, safe housing, assistance with access to health care, access to education for school-age children, and linking with social and religious networks, including community language classes which allow the opportunity for them to learn English. This is an immense improvement from mandatory detention centres and provides shelter from danger or hardship. In 2012-13, the government estimates that 20 per cent of asylum seekers will be in community detention.
The Essay on Asylum Seekers In Australia Should Be Treated With Greater Respect
Australia’s treatment of Asylum Seekers has become a disgrace, from our violation of our international treaties, mandatory detention centre and violation of basic human rights. We have changed from a country which bases its ideal on democracy, freedom and justice to that of a country that refuses to accept refugees on the ground of humanitarian. The Australia Government should treat asylum ...
However, the fact that community detention still restrains asylum seekers without their consent is one of the many negatives of the strategy. The asylum seekers are not allowed to keep goods they are supplied for safe living, and are still legally detained. They are also not allowed to work, resulting in the need to live off their small fortnightly income. Despite the conditions being much more beneficial, asylum seekers are still detained against their will for an unknown length in time, which is a violation against human rights. An example of one strategy that improves the position of asylum seekers can be seen the USA.
In 1990, America authorised the commencement of a Pilot Parole Project aimed to determine the consequences of releasing undocumented asylum seekers into the community instead of detaining them in detention centres. This resulted to be very successful and allowed for those only to pose a threat to public safety to be detained, rather than genuine asylum seekers exercising their basic human rights. This policy stands in contrast with Australia’s detention strategy and human rights in Australia will improve if we follow in the USA’s footsteps.
The policy of community detention aims to improve the rights of asylum seekers by improving the living conditions during detention such as financial support, access to education and allowing for opportunities for more independence. However, it still violates human rights by detaining asylum seekers without their consent. For this policy to work there needs to be vast changes and new strategies to address this challenge. If this happens, then improved Human Rights for asylum seekers in Australia can be a part of our future.
