UN investigator compares Indigenous youth detention to Stolen Generation
A UN human rights investigator criticized the mass jailing of Indigenous children in Australia as a generational failure.
A UN human rights investigator finished his Australian visit on Friday, giving stark warnings about Indigenous youth detention. First Nations young people make up 60 per cent of all imprisoned children, comprising only 6.6 per cent of the general population.
In some detention centres, 90 per cent of the people held are Indigenous. Some are as young as 10.
The NT has seen the worst rise. Imprisonment rates jumped 1,609 per 100,000 adults in six years.
He called the situation a new Stolen Generation. He called on the federal government to set national minimum standards for youth justice.
He was also denied access to Darwin's Holtze and Queensland's Cleveland youth detention centres during his visit.
- 60 per cent of all imprisoned children
- Indigenous youth in detention
- 6.6 per cent
- Indigenous in general population
- 90 per cent
- Indigenous in some detention centres
- 10 years old
- Youngest detainees
Why it mattersA UN human rights finding carries weight in international forums. It puts pressure on Australia's reputation as it seeks a UN Security Council seat.
AustraliaThis directly challenges the Australian government's youth justice system and Indigenous rights record; reform could reshape how states handle young Indigenous offenders.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 d ago
