Indigenous affairs minister to visit UN

The Minister for Indigenous Australians will next week travel to a United Nations meeting in Geneva to spruik the federal government's efforts to close the gap.

Ken Wyatt will follow a visit from Dujuan Hoosan, a 12-year-old Aboriginal boy from Central Australia, who urged Australia to raise the criminal age.

In all Australian states and territories, 10 years is the uniform age of criminal responsibility.

Dujuan, an Arrernte/Garrwa boy, told the UN's Human Rights Council about the police attention he faced when he was younger, which he said nearly landed him in prison.

Mr Wyatt announced his visit to the council on Friday, the 12th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Improving the lives of all indigenous people was a government priority, Mr Wyatt said.

Dujuan also told the council he wanted Aboriginal-led education models to retain his culture.

He said he avoided jail but a lot of Aboriginal children weren't as lucky as he.

Human Rights Law Centre's Shahleena Musk previously said Australia had a lot of explaining to do regarding its treatment of children and asylum seekers.

Mr Wyatt said Australia would play a constructive role in ensuring indigenous voices were heard at UN meetings and bodies.