The first of a series of seminars organised jointly by Children’s Rights International (CRI) and the Alumni was held on Feb 27th in the RCH Foundation.
We had great assistance from Dr Linny Phuong, a Fellow in Infectious Diseases at RCH and Founder/Director of her own NGO called The Water Well Project (https://www.thewaterwellproject.org). Current RCH staff members were invited through the Medical Staff Association and lawyers through the Law Institute, Melbourne University Law School and one of the large family law firms.
The speakers for the session were:
• Professor John Tobin, Francine V McNiff Professor in Human Rights Law, University of Melbourne Law School
• Dr Georgia Paxton, Head Immigrant Health, Consultant Paediatrician, Royal Children’s Hospital
• Associate Professor Lynn Gillam, Academic Head, Children’s Bioethics Centre, Royal Children’s Hospital
• The Hon. Alastair Nicholson AO RFD QC, Chair Children’s Rights International, former Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia
The venue (RCH Foundation) had a capacity of 70, and registrations of four speakers and 65 attendees almost filled the area.
The speakers and attendees were welcomed with a glass of wine and light refreshments before Dr Hugo Gold introduced the seminar. He was followed by Prof John Tobin, talking about the legal framework of Children’s Rights around the world and in Australia and the areas where major problems existed, especially for immigrants whose language skills were poor and refugees whose access to basic healthcare and to education was lacking. Dr Georgia Paxton talked about the issues that she faced on a daily basis in the Immigrant Health Clinic at the hospital.
A Prof Lynn Gillam added her perspective as an ethicist and Hon Alastair Nicholson made closing remarks before Dr Gold opened the meeting for discussion which was lively and thought provoking for the large audience.