Closing the Gap Strategy for Improving Health and Education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

CLOSING THE GAP STRATEGY
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PART 1:Closing the Gap strategy
The social justice report of 2005 released by professor Tom Calma who was by then
serving asAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner led to the
introduction of the Closing the Gap strategy .In the report, the Social justice commissioner called
for a commitment by the Australian Government into the realization of life expectancy and
health equality for Torres Strait Islanders peoples and the Aboriginals in a period of 25 years
(Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet,2015).
Since its introduction the strategy has been of major significance to the health of the
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. On an average Torres Strait Islander Peoples and
the Aboriginals have a longer life expectancy than before. The main causes of death among these
groups such as stroke and heart attack are on the decline. Among the indigenous males, their life
expectancy has increased by 0.32 years since the period 2005/2007 while that of the females has
increased by 0.12 years. These statistics are expected to keep rising.
The strategy has also led to a decline in child mortality rates among the Indigenous
populations especially for deaths associated with chromosomal and congenital conditions as well
as other conditions characteristic of the prenatal period. The period between 2006 and 2015 has
recorded a major decline in major causes of child mortality among the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders. Statistics from 1998- 2015 shows a significant decline in Infant mortality rate by
66 percent. A decline of 18% was also recorded in the period between 2008 and 2015.Data from
2016 analysis has shown progress towards the target. This is an improvement from the
2015 Statistics which had indicated that the track was not on track (Australian Human
Right Commission, 2017).

An improvement in the health quality and life expectancy among the two groups has
also enabled them to engage more in business as demonstrated by a 12.5 percent growth
rate among Indigenous businesses. This is deemed the highest compared to other sectors
making up the Australian Economy .In addition, the strategy has also led to an
improvement in numeracy and literacy among the two indigenous groups besides
improving the number of enrollments of Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal Children
in early childhood education to over 14,700. In addition it has increased the number of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children staying in school throughout the year. Data
from 2015 shows an 87% ECE enrollment rate in among indigenous children as compared
to 98 enrollment for non-Indigenous children. In addition, the attendance rate for the
enrolled Indigenous children was found to be 92% compared to the 96% attendance rate
among the non-indigenous children(Australian Human Right Commission, 2017).
With an improvement in education attainment, it is expected that the strategy will
continue to open greater economic opportunities for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander hence improving their lives. Data from 2016 indicates that the early childhood
education target is on track (Australian Human Right Commission, 2017).
PART 2: Engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Social determinants of heath refer to the social and economic conditions in which
individuals are born, work, live, grow and age .The main determinants of these conditions are the
distribution of resources, power and money. These circumstances are responsible for differences
in group and individual’s health status. Social determinants of health associated with the
socioeconomic position are used to explain the variations of health outcomes among the
indigenous Populations as well as explaining the gaps witnessed in the health status of Non-