The School of Law, Western Sydney University inaugurates an annual series of children’s rights symposia with a Symposium themed The Convention on the Rights of the Child at 35: Developments in children’s rights in Australia, Asia-Pacific, and the World.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child turns 35 on the 20th of November 2024. The Convention has become synonymous with children’s rights, and has had a significant impact on legislation, policy and practice in Australia and the world.

With a focus on Australia and the region, this Symposium celebrates the achievements of the Convention and reflects upon some of the challenges it faces. The event brings together national, regional and international leaders in the field of children’s rights.

The keynote panellists are Commissioner Anne Hollonds, the National Children's Commissioner; Commissioner Natalie Lewis, Queensland Family and Child Commission; Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, the Supreme Court of Samoa and former member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; and Professor Ton Liefaard, Leiden Law School. Presentations are also delivered by leading children’s rights scholars from Australia and overseas, and representatives of state institutions and courts that play important roles in protecting the rights of children.

Registration: Participation by registration only. Places are limited and seats are allocated in order of registration. Please register by 8 November, 2024 (for catering purposes).

For a full list of speakers, please see the program below.

Contact person: Dr Meda Couzens (m.couzens@westernsydney.edu.au)

PROGRAM

8.30 – 8.50: Registration

8.50 – 9.00: Welcome and opening remarks

Prof. Catherine Renshaw, Dean, School of Law Western Sydney University

Prof. John Juriansz, Director, Whitlam Institute

9.00 - 10.30: Keynote panel: The CRC at 35: Achievements and Challenges

Chair and discussant: Prof. John Tobin, University of Melbourne

Commissioner Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

The human rights of Australia’s children – addressing the barriers to action

Commissioner Natalie Lewis, Commissioner, Queensland Family and Child Commission

The CRC and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the work of the Queensland Family and Child

Commission: Achievements and challenges

Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, Supreme Court of Samoa

The CRC at 35: Promises

Prof. Ton Liefaard, Leiden Law School, Leiden University, The Netherlands

Children’s rights at cross-roads

10.30 – 11.00: Morning Tea

11.00 – 12.30: The CRC and children’s rights in the practice of selected institutions and courts

Chair: Prof. Judith Cashmore, University of Sydney

Jacqueline Fredman and Helen Wodak, Deputy Ombudsman Complaints and Resolution, and Deputy

Ombudsman Monitoring and Review respectively, Ombudsman New South Wales

The NSW Ombudsman’s Office and its child-centred approach to its functions

Paul Clark, Executive Manager, Education Prevention and Inclusion, eSafety Commissioner Office

Navigating online safety: A child rights perspective

Magistrate Alison Viney, Children’s Court NSW

The CRC and the work of the Children’s Court of NSW

Prof. Sharon Bessell, Australian National University [pre-recorded presentation]

Children’s human rights and poverty in Australia: 35 years of the UNCRC

12.30 – 13.30: Lunch

13.30 – 15.00: The CRC and the protection of children’s rights in Australia

Chair: Dr Meda Couzens, Western Sydney University

Prof. Tamara Walsh, University of Queensland [pre-recorded presentation]

Children’s rights and human rights acts in Australia

Prof. Claire Fenton-Glynn, Monash University

A Child Rights Act for Australia

Assoc. Prof. Faith Gordon, Australian National University

The CRC and juvenile justice in Australia

Assoc. Prof. Holly Doel-Mackaway, Macquarie University

Decolonising children’s participation in public decision-making in Australia: Rethinking article 12 of the CRC

15.00 – 15.30: Afternoon Tea

15.30 – 17.00: The CRC in Asia-Pacific and the world

Chair: Prof. Nicola Taylor, University of Otago, New Zealand

Prof. Claire Breen, University of Waikato, New Zealand

Children's Rights in Aotearoa New Zealand are under pressure: (How) can the CRC's complaints

mechanism help?

Prof. Amanda Third, Young and Resilient Research Centre, Western Sydney University

Child participation in research on children’s digital technology practices in the Asia Pacific

Assoc. Prof. Noam Peleg, University of New South Wales

Reflections on the war on Gaza and international children's rights: Promise and failure of the CRC

Prof. John Tobin, University of Melbourne

Looking Forward – What do the next 35 years hold for children’s rights?

Closing address: 17.00 – 17.10

Cocktails: 17.10 – 18.00

Catering: Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and Halal food options will be provided. If you have other dietary requirements, please contact a.buckland@westernsydney.edu.au.

Banner artwork photo by Christian Conol, Naisaumua Village, Fiji (Sept 2023).

Hotels in the area:

Mercure Parramatta https://www.mercurehotelparramatta.com.au/ [20 minutes walk]

Meriton Suites George St https://www.meritonsuites.com.au/our-hotels/nsw/western-sydney/george-street/ [25 minutes walk]

Rydges Parramatta https://www.rydges.com/accommodation/sydney-nsw/parramatta/ [30 minutes walk]

Nesuto Parramatta https://www.nesuto.com/parramatta [30 minutes walk]

Holiday Inn Parramatta https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/parramatta/sydpa/hoteldetail [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]

Mantra Parramatta https://www.mantrahotels.com/mantra-parramatta/ [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]

Park Royal Parramatta https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-parramatta.html [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]

Novotel Parramatta https://www.novotelparramatta.com.au/ [take shuttle bus from the CBD campus at the Parramatta Square / the Parramatta Train Station]