Human rights calendar
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
Dates shown for some events may vary for different locations.
| January | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | World Braille Day 
| World Braille Day marks the birth of Louis Braille, who invented 'braille' - a system of touch reading and writing that uses raised dots to represent the letters of the print alphabet for people who are blind or visually impaired. |
| February | Back to top | |
| 1 to 7 | World Interfaith Harmony Week | This United Nations observance encourages mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue between all religions, faiths, and beliefs. It is celebrated during the first week of February. |
| 13 | Anniversary of Apology to Stolen Generations in 2008
| On 13 February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave a public apology to the Stolen Generations on behalf of the Federal Government for past laws, policies and practices that devastated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. |
| 20 | World Day of Social Justice (UN)
| World Day of Social Justice is a day recognising the need to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment. |
| 21 | International Mother Language Day (UNESCO)
| Mother Language Day promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism, and encourages the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world. |
| March | Back to top | |
| 8 | International Women's Day
| International Women's Day is a global day of recognition and celebration of women - honouring women's advancement while being mindful of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained. |
| third Friday in March | National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence
| Organised by all Australian education authorities through the Safe and Supportive School Communities Project |
| 21 | Harmony Day /International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN)
| Harmony Day is a day of cultural respect and is also the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. |
| 16 | National Close the Gap Day
| Campaign for Indigenous health equality by Australia's peak Indigenous and non-Indigenous health bodies, NGOs and human rights organisations. |
| April | Back to top | |
| 31 March to 9 April | National Youth Week | This week celebrates the achievements, vitality and strength of young people aged 12 to 25, and acknowledges their positive contribution to communities. |
| 7 | World Health Day (UN)
| Marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation in 1948. A priority area of public health concern is highlighted each year. |
| 28 | World Day for Safety and Health at Work (ILO)
| International Labour Organization event to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. |
| 27 | International Guide Dog Day
| This day recognises the role guide dogs play in assisting people who are blind or vision impaired. |
| May | Back to top | |
| 15 | International Day of Families (UN)
| Families are celebrated in this UN observance. The Universal Declaration that families are entitled to protection by society and the State. |
| 17 | IDAHOT Day (International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia)
| Marks the date in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders, and is a celebration of sexual and gender diversities. |
| 26 | Sorry Day
|
National Sorry Day is an annual day of commemoration and remembrance of all those who have been impacted by the government policies of forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, resulting in the Stolen Generations. On this day in 1997 the Bringing them home report was tabled in the national Parliament.
|
| 27 | Anniversary of 1967 Referendum
| The 1967 referendum saw over 90 per cent of Australians vote to give the Commonwealth the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognise them in the national census. |
| 27 May to 3 June | Reconciliation Week
| Reconciliation week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort. |
| June | Back to top | |
| 3 | Mabo Day
| Commemorates Eddie Koiki Mabo and the High Court decision which legally recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a special relationship to the land—that existed prior to colonalisation and still exists today. This recognition paved the way for land rights called Native Title. |
| 18–24 | Refugee Week
| Refugee Week is Australia's peak annual activity to raise awareness about the issues affecting refugees, and to celebrate the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. Refugee Week is always held from Sunday to Saturday of the week which includes 20 June (World Refugee Day). |
| 15 | World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
| Elder Abuse Day is a United Nations designated day when the world voices its opposition to abuse and suffering inflicted on older people. Elder abuse is a human rights violation. |
| 26 | International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
| This is a day to pay our respects to those who have endured the unimaginable. Australia is signatory to the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. |
| July | Back to top | |
| 1 | Coming of the Light Festival
| The Coming of the Light is a holiday celebrated by Torres Strait Islanders on 1 July each year. It recognises the adoption of Christianity through island communities during the late nineteenth century. |
| 2–9 | NAIDOC week
| NAIDOC week is a time to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
| August | Back to top | |
| 1–31 | Queensland Multicultural Month | This month is the state's largest celebration of multiculturalism, and features events and activities across Queensland that celebrate the state's diversity and different cultures. |
| 1–7 | World Breast Feeding Week
| A week which promotes the health benefits of breastfeeding and encourages support for breastfeeding mothers. |
| 4 | National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day
| This day celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, has expressed particular concern about the serious and widespread discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. |
| 7–13 | Homelessness week
| This week is used to raise awareness of people experiencing homelessness and the associated issues. |
| 9 | International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples (UN)
| This is a United Nations observance to draw attention to the problems faced by Indigenous peoples in areas such as human rights, health and education. |
| 12 | International Youth Day (UN)
| Youth Day focuses on listening to and engaging with young people. |
| 19–27 | Seniors Week
| Seniors Week celebrates the contributions of older people and aims to improve community attitudes towards older people and ageing, facilitate community participation and activity by older people and enhance community connections and inter-generational relationships. |
| 25 | Wear It Purple Day
| Wear it Purple has a simple message: you have the right to be proud of who you are. Sexuality or gender identity does not change this. Wear It Purple is a youth-led organisation that works to support and empower rainbow (sexuality and gender diverse) young people. |
| 20–26 | Hearing Awareness Week
| This week raises awareness about deafness, hearing impairments and hearing health. One in six Australians is hearing impaired. |
| September | Back to top | |
| 4 September | Equal Pay Day
| Equal Pay Day falls on a different day each year, and marks the additional time from the end of the previous financial year that women must work to earn the same as men in Australia. |
| 4–10 | National Child Protection Week
| This is a time to prevent child abuse and neglect and to ensure the safety and well-being of every Australian child. |
| 5–11 | Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week
| This week aims to educate the community about spinal cord injury, and promote accessibility in public venues and social inclusion. |
| 13 |
Anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the
UN
General Assembly
| The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples affirms the minimum standards for the survival, dignity, security and well-being of Indigenous peoples worldwide and enshrines Indigenous peoples' right to be different. |
| 8 | International Literacy Day (UN)
| The United Nations regards literacy as a fundamental human right and the foundation for lifelong learning. |
| 11–17 | Disability Action Week
| This week aims to encourage positive attitudes towards people with a disability, and promote improved access to the wider community. |
| 28 | International Right to Know Day / RTI Day Qld
| Right to Know Day is about promoting individuals' right of access to information and open, transparent governance. Qld marks this occasion as Right to Information Day, in acknowledgment of the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld). |
| October | Back to top | |
| 1 | International Day of Older Persons (UN)
| This day provides an opportunity to recognise the contribution that older people make to their communities, and raise awareness about issues affecting older people. |
| 9–15 | Mental Health Week / World Mental Health Day - October 10
| Mental Health Week aims to raise awareness of mental health and well-being in the wider community. A critical part of reducing stigma and supporting those with a mental illness and their carers is education.World mental Health Day is celebrated on 10 October. |
| 11 | International Day of the Girl Child
| This day is an initiative of UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Its aim is to raise awareness of girls' rights, and to advocate for the adoption and implementation of laws and policies that prohibit and prevent child, early, and forced marriage. |
| 14 | International White Cane Day
| International White Cane Day is held around the world each year to draw attention to the mobility needs of people who are blind or vision impaired. |
| 16–22 | Anti-Poverty Week / International Day for Eradication of Poverty - October 17
| International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is a United Nations day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries. |
21–29 |
National Children's Week | Children's Week celebrates the right of children to enjoy childhood, and is a time for children to demonstrate their talents, skills, and abilities, as well as focusing attention of the wider community on children, their needs, and achievements. |
| 24 | United Nations Day
| This day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the United Nations Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, the United Nations officially came into being. |
| 26 | Intersex Awareness Day
| Intersex Awareness Day is an international day of grass-roots action to end shame, secrecy and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children. Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that don't meet medical and social norms for female and male bodies, and suffer stigma and discrimination as a result. |
| November | Back to top | |
| 10 Nov to 10 Dec | Human Rights Month - Fair and Inclusive Workplaces | Human Rights Month is a campaign by the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland to raise awareness of discrimination and human rights and culminates on Human Rights Day (10 December). |
| 16 | International Day for Tolerance (UN)
|
On 16 November 1995, UNESCO's Member States adopted a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance . The Declaration affirms that tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference. It is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world's cultures, our forms of
expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognises the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others
|
| 20 | Transgender Day of Remembrance
|
20 November is set aside as Transgender Day of Remembrance for those people who have died because of transgender hatred or prejudice. The day raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender, or gender variant people, and the persistence of prejudice against the transgender community. It is a day to mourn and honour the lives lost in anti-transgender violence, and raise the visibility of transgender and gender diverse members of the community. |
| 20 | Universal Children's Day (Anniversary of CROC)
|
This event marks the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC) . The Convention sets minimum entitlements and freedoms
for children that should be respected by governments and communities. It is a day to promote the welfare of children as well as 'fraternity and understanding between children.'
|
| 25 | International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women (White Ribbon Day UN)
| Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stated 'We must fundamentally challenge the culture of discrimination that allows violence [against women and girls] to continue. |
| December | Back to top | |
| 1 | World Aids Day (UN)
| World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988. |
| 3 | International Day of People with Disability (UN)
| International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being. |
| 10 | International Human Rights Day (UN)
| Human Rights Day commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. |
| 18 | International Migrants Day (UN)
| International Migrants Day commemorates the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the International Convention on Protection of Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families. |