United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Mrs Mary Robinson wants to send a special envoy to the Woomera detention centre for asylum seekers in Australia.
Mrs Robinson, who has asked Australian Foreign Minister Mr Alexander Downer for his approval for sending an envoy, said there are very serious human rights concerns that she would like to have clarified.
More than 200 Afghan asylum seekers went on a two-week hunger strike in protest at conditions at the camp and delays in processing their asylum applications.
Dozens of the hunger strikers, including children, sewed their lips shut as part of the protest and one man was seriously injured when he jumped from the roof of a building onto razor wire.
Prime Minister Mr John Howard defended immigration policy and said conditions at units like Woomera are deliberately harsh to deter other would-be illegal immigrants.
Australia's government incarcerates all asylum seekers until their applications have been processed - which can take up to three years.