Healing Hands: Indigenous Health Rights Campaign 2004

The campaign seeks to raise awareness of Indigenous health issues and improve attitudes and respect for Indigenous Australians by addressing widespread misunderstanding within the broader community about the causes of poor Indigenous health. It highlights that health is influenced by a range of factors including: housing and employment, relationships to land, rights to self-determination and to the enjoyment and protection of cultures.

The campaign aims to:

• develop a national advertising campaign and public awareness initiatives to inform Australians about poor Indigenous health and to highlight the work and perspectives of relevant Indigenous and non-Indigenous health organisations and individuals;
• build a network of organisations and individuals working cooperatively on, or in support of, Indigenous health issues;
• develop targeted education projects in partnership with key Indigenous and non-Indigenous organisations;
• develop advocacy initiatives in consultation with other stakeholders to secure commitment from all governments and political parties to act on Indigenous health as a matter of urgency.

At the national launch, Mr Dodson called for Australia ‘to find a way to reach its full potential free of division and inequality. It is only through a commitment to justice that these divisions can be healed.’ He went on to explain ‘this is a shared responsibility between Indigenous people, governments and the wider Australian public. . Today we are calling for genuine dialogue leading to a comprehensive agreement on how to resolve these issues.’

For further information or to obtain an Indigenous Health Campaign Kit see the Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) website.