Media advisories Special Procedures

UN expert on toxics and human rights to visit Australia

25 August 2023

GENEVA (25 August 2023) – The UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, Marcos Orellana, will conduct an official visit to Australia from 28 August to 8 September 2023.

During his 10-day visit, the Special Rapporteur will examine the human rights situation related to the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste in the country. He is particularly interested in identifying good practices in this regard.

Orellana will meet with Federal, State, and Territory Government authorities, non-governmental and civil society organisations, academic experts and scientists, individuals and communities. He will visit the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia.

The expert will hold a press conference on Friday 8 September from 12:00 to 13:00 (local time) in Sydney (at the Rydges World Square Hotel, 389 Pitt Street, Sydney). Access will be strictly limited to journalists.

The Special Rapporteur will present his report to the Human Rights Council in September 2024.

Marcos A. Orellana is the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights country page: Australia

For more information and media requests please contact: Ms. Halida Nasic (halida.nasic@un.org;+41(0)79 4444702).

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts please contact Maya Derouaz (maya.derouaz@un.org) or Dharisha Indraguptha (dharisha.indraguptha@un.org).

Follow news related to the UN’s independent human rights experts on Twitter @UN_SPExperts.

Concerned about the world we live in?
Then STAND UP for someone's rights today.
#Standup4humanrights
and visit the web page at http://www.standup4humanrights.org

Tags