Mainstreaming civic space in State interventions at the UN Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Law Centre joined 11 international NGOs in a Joint Paper that outlines how member and observer States of the Human Rights Council can more systematically use civic space indicators as objective criteria for interventions at the Council.
The Paper makes the case that States should focus on restrictions on the work of human rights defenders, civil society, journalists and other independent actors to objectively assess human rights situations in countries early, and work to uphold the Council’s mandate to prevent human rights violations and “respond promptly to human rights emergencies.”
States must be prepared to respond to emerging human rights violations that manifest through civic space restrictions being places on human rights defenders, as indicated through:
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Individual and joint statements on situations already on the Council’s agenda;
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Individual and joint statements on situations that are not on the Council’s agenda;
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Thematic debates;
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Resolutions;
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The UPR process: reviews and adoptions; and
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Special sessions or urgent debates.
Read the Joint Paper to the UN Human Rights Council.
Submission to 2025-26 Federal Budget consultation
The Human Rights Law Centre has put forward recommendations to the 2025-26 federal budget submissions across a range of issues, including campaigning for an Australian Human Rights Act, migration justice, prisoners’ rights, whistleblower protection and modern slavery.
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Submission to Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021 review
The Human Rights Law Centre is calling for stronger safeguards for the right to privacy and warned that these powers enable the AFP and ACIC to undertake significant invasions of privacy, encroach on the right to privacy, and threaten to have a chilling effect on the work of journalists and their sources.
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Submission to Inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities
In a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into antisemitism on Australian university campuses, the Human Rights Law Centre has called for reforms that uphold Australia's commitment to international human rights standards, fostering a society that respects equality, freedom, and justice for all.
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Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Cammeraygal, Darug, Wadawurrung, Turrbal and Jagera people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
WARNING: This site contains images or names of people who have passed away.