WGAR News: First Peoples groups criticise the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse

Newsletter date: 2 December 2013

Contents:

* Croakey - the Crikey health blog: Indigenous groups call for specific focus from Royal Commission into child sexual abuse
* The Stringer: First Peoples groups criticise the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse
* Background: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander responses to Royal Commission into child sexual abuse

* SNAICC News: SNAICC Training! Through Young Black Eyes
* SNAICC News: UP Child Rights campaign and Universal Children's Day
* SNAICC News: Partnerships can support self determination in Aboriginal communities

* CROAKEY - THE CRIKEY HEALTH BLOG: INDIGENOUS GROUPS CALL FOR SPECIFIC FOCUS FROM ROYAL COMMISSION INTO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

- Introduction and Statement

Croakey - the Crikey health blog: Indigenous groups call for specific focus from Royal Commission into child sexual abuse
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/11/27/indigenous-groups-call-for...
27 Nov 13: "Leading Indigenous groups have issued a joint statement to express their "major concern" at the lack of a specific mention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or acknowledgement of their traumatic history with institutions in the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse.
The statement followed a Roundtable meeting in Sydney of the:
* National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples
* Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)
* National Stolen Generations Alliance
* First Peoples Disability Network (Australia)
* National Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Forum.
The statement calls on the Federal Government to provide funding so Aboriginal community controlled organisations can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people providing evidence to the Commission, whose stories must not just bear witness to their experiences but "lead to reforms in policy, systems, attitudes, resources and service delivery".
See the full statement below ... " Marie McInerney

* THE STRINGER: FIRST PEOPLES GROUPS CRITICISE THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES INTO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: First Peoples groups criticise the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse
http://thestringer.com.au/first-peoples-groups-criticise-the-royal-commi...
27 Nov 13: "The absence of specific mention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, or acknowledgement of the traumatic history of the First Peoples’ involvement with institutions in the terms of reference of Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse have upset many. The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples alongside the National Stolen Generations Alliance, the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC), the First Peoples Disability Network and the National Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Forum, have expressed their disappointment that in effect Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders have come off once again less than second best." By The Stringer

- Related News

The Australian: Indigenous anger over exclusion
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/indigenous-ang...
27 Nov 13: "THE Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse must consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, according to the nation's peak indigenous groups, which will today release a statement condemning their exclusion. A joint statement from the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples member organisations declares the absence of a specific mention of indigenous people in the royal commission's terms of reference is a "major concern"." Patricia Karvelas

* BACKGROUND: ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER RESPONSES TO ROYAL COMMISSION INTO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Last updated: 28 September 2013

http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/20/background-aboriginal-torres-strait-i...

* SNAICC NEWS: SNAICC TRAINING! THROUGH YOUNG BLACK EYES

- News

SNAICC News: SNAICC Training! Through Young Black Eyes
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
20 Nov 13: "SNAICC’s Through Young Black Eyes Workshop Kit contains a comprehensive set of resources to assist communities or organisations to run workshops about family violence, child abuse and neglect, and develop child-safe communities, all of which can be adapted to suit local community needs. The project has the overarching goal of supporting healing from, and the prevention of, family violence, child abuse and neglect and supporting the building of child safe communities and organisations. To do this, the 2-day workshop will aim to build participants’ capacity to use the Through Young Black Eyes Workshop Kit. ... "

* SNAICC NEWS: UP CHILD RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND UNIVERSAL CHILDREN'S DAY

- News

SNAICC News: UP Child Rights campaign and Universal Children's Day
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1259
19 Nov 13: "Child rights has been a prominent issue this year, and the issue of ensuring governments uphold child rights is gaining attention across the world. Up Child Rights is a global campaign that aims to bring about awareness and protection of child rights across the globe. The campaign hopes to bring positive change by ensuring laws, policies and systems make children a priority. You can help the campaign by signing the petition to end the violation of child rights and promote the protection of children and their rights. ... SNAICC produced a Child Rights Education Kit ... "

* SNAICC NEWS: PARTNERSHIPS CAN SUPPORT SELF DETERMINATION IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES

- News

SNAICC News: Partnerships can support self determination in Aboriginal communities
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
20 Nov 13: "An alliance of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organisations are working together to promote Aboriginal community-control of services in the Northern Territory. Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT (APO NT), Strong Aboriginal Families, Together (SAF,T), National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (Congress), Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and the Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS) are leading the initiative. ... "Non-Aboriginal NGOs have agreed to work together with Aboriginal organisations and communities to promote Aboriginal community-control of service delivery. It’s about putting Aboriginal people back in the driver’s seat", said Mr John Paterson, spokesperson for APO NT. ... "

- - -

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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