Working with First Nations peoples in Australia is a major focus of the Edmund Rice Centre. 

At the heart of this work is our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the UN in 2007 and sets out the rights of indigenous peoples, such as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health and education.

It also "emphasises the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions, and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations". 

It "prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples", and it "promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them and their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic and social development". 

The Edmund Rice Centre works to overcome the injustices faced by First Nations Australians in a number of ways, including:

• Holding Immersion Programs as part of our "Lets Talk" Reconciliation program
• Working to provide a voice, space and status for First Nations Australians to engage in our system of Government or influence policy makers
• Forming partnerships with groups such as ANTaR, Caritas and educational bodies. 

First Nations Peoples and Reconciliation: Interview with Senator Patrick Dodson by Phil Glendenning