Humanelaw

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is a national human rights organization, and it is an autonomous constitutional body of the Australian Government. It was formerly known as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.  The AHRC has the liability for investigating suspected infringements under Australia’s anti-discrimination law.

As per the commission, elements that can be investigated by it include "discrimination on the grounds of color, ethnic origin or race, racial vilification, sexual harassment, sex, pregnancy, disability or marital status." The AHRC comes under the department of the Attorney-General of the country.

The Hon. Catherine Margaret Branson is the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). One of the functions of the AHRC is to conduct public inquiries.The Australian Human Rights Commission is one of about seventy National Human Rights Institutions accredited by the International Coordinating Committee (ICC), an organization supported by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s "A status" accreditation approves it unusual access to the UN human rights system, as well as rights to speak at the Human Rights Council. The AHRC can present similar reports to the UN treaty committees investigating Australia's compliance with global human rights instruments. The AHRC has been very dynamic in raising the NHRIs all over the Asia-Pacific region; along with it is a principal member of the Asia Pacific Forum of NHRIs.

Since 1987 the Human Rights Medal as well as some other awards has been awarded to persons for their extraordinary involvement to human rights in Australia at the Commission’s annual Medal and Awards Ceremony.

The Young People’s Human Rights Medal for the first time was awarded in 2008.
Other awards are: Human Rights Law Award, Human Rights Arts Non-Fiction Award, Human Rights Community (Individual) Award, Human Rights Radio Award, Human Rights Community (Organization) Award, Human Rights Television Award, and Human Rights Print Media Award.