Catherine Branson recently gave a speech entitled "A Fair Chance for Every Child: the right to survival and development" which concluded with:

"It is almost 20 years since Australia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. While most children in Australia enjoy the full range of human rights, we are aware that there are significant groups of vulnerable children and young people for whom adequate human rights protection remains a difficult challenge.

"Australia can do a better job of protecting these children’s fundamental human rights. We can do a better job of ensuring their optimal survival and development. Indigenous children, children with a disability, children experiencing mental ill-health, young people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable children are entitled to the full protection of their fundamental human rights.

"Let us continue to strive for the world envisaged by Save the Children: a world in which every child has a healthy and safe childhood, the opportunity to learn and a voice to speak for themselves. And let us continue to call our governments to account – to call on them to fulfil their obligations to respect, promote and protect the rights of all children.

"Together we can create an environment in which all children in Australia are able to thrive."

Read the whole speech on the Human Rights Commission website.