Which international instrument is recognised as a 'relevant international instrument' under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986, allowing the AHRC to refer to it when hearing complaints of discrimination?

• A. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• B. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
• C. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• D. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 allows the AHRC to refer to certain international agreements as benchmarks when deciding discrimination complaints. Among those recognized instruments, the Convention on the Rights of the Child is the one Australia has formally ratified that directly informs how child rights and protections against discrimination should be interpreted in domestic cases. The CRC provides binding standards on how children should be treated, ensuring equal access to services, education, and protection from discrimination, which the AHRC can use as a reference point when assessing complaints. While universal declarations and other treaties matter in human rights law, the Act specifically identifies the Convention on the Rights of the Child as the relevant instrument the AHRC can rely on in discrimination matters.