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Human Rights Sport

World Cup is opportunity for encounter but has risks

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup next month, the Church in Mexico is concerned that an influx of tourists could lead to an increase in human trafficking, exploitation and violence. Source: Catholic World Report.

Gender Human Rights

Liberals seek to legally define biological sex

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has pledged to rewrite the Sex Discrimination Act to enshrine a definition of biological sex, after the Federal Court doubled the damages paid to a transgender woman in a landmark case. Source: SMH.

China Human Rights

China increases pressure on underground Catholics 

China’s Communist regime is increasing pressure on independent, underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled official Church, according to a Human Rights Watch report. Source: UCA News.

Human Rights United Nations

UN review says Australia needs human rights act

Australia has been urged to make sweeping reforms to keep Indigenous children out of prison and treat asylum seekers more humanely, after a United Nations review found it was “out of step” with international standards. Source: The Australian.

Human Rights

Catholic organisations call for introduction of Human Rights Act 

As the world today marks the United Nations Human Rights Day, Catholic organisations have joined a campaign calling for Australia to introduce a Human Rights Act.

Europe Human Rights

Catholic bishops call on EU to appoint envoy for religious freedom

The representatives of the Catholic bishops to the European Union reiterated their call for the bloc to act firmly against anti-Christian persecution around the world by reinstating the position of the special envoy for religious freedom. Source: CNA.

Housing Human Rights

New ACT law will make housing a human right

Access to adequate housing will become a human right in the ACT in a nation-leading expansion of the territory’s rights law that the bill’s architect said amounted to a “paradigm shift”. Source: Canberra Times.

Central America Human Rights

Exiled Nicaraguan bishop honoured with peace award

Separated from his native Nicaragua by a government that disowned him for speaking up for justice and peace, Bishop Silvio Jose Báez Ortega has accepted a peace award that he dedicated to courageous Nicaraguans continuing that advocacy. Source: OSV News.

Human Rights Youth

Marist 180 endorses damning review of Australia’s human rights record

Catholic youth organisation Marist180 has joined more than 50 civil society organisations in endorsing the Joint NGO Submission to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of Australia’s human rights record, which was released on Monday.