Overview

• Human Rights Watch's 2025 World Report highlights Australia's declining respect for children's rights, particularly in youth justice systems in Queensland and Western Australia.
• Children as young as 10 are being detained, often in adult facilities, with conditions including solitary confinement and overcrowding, raising significant human rights concerns.
• Indigenous children are disproportionately affected, comprising over half of the youth detention population, reflecting systemic inequalities and ongoing trauma.
• The Queensland government recently passed harsher youth crime laws, acknowledging their inconsistency with international and state human rights standards.
• Australia's lack of a national Human Rights Act and its continued offshore detention of asylum seekers, including children, were also criticized as violations of international obligations.