MLS Human Rights Program
Banner Image Credit – Kaff Eine, Street Artist, MLS LLB – mural in Benalla, rural Victoria, honouring the beauty of LGBTIQ+ youth, 2015
News and Events
Coordinator and Fellows
Faculty Members
Graduate Researchers

Adrienne Anderson
MLS Human Rights Community
The MLS Human Rights Community is a unique initiative only open to MLS students in the JD, LLM and RHD programs.
It offers a range of opportunities for MLS students to meet regularly and engage in a range of social, academic and advocacy projects related to human rights.
Student feedback has been extremely positive –
"Brilliant - by far the highlight of my JD so far. The expertise and passion of all the staff involved is unmatched’; ‘The Human Rights community has undoubtedly provided many of us a safe space and community’; ‘It was a great opportunity to learn more about human rights law and the opportunities available to students, and the possible career paths."
MLS Human Rights Community
2022 MLS Community Report
Professor John Tobin established the Human Rights Program in 2022, with the primary goal of curating and promoting the extensive range of teaching, research and engagement activities being undertaken within the Melbourne Law School (MLS) in the field of human rights. The Human Rights Program’s secondary goal is to increase students’ engagement with co-curricular activities and campus life, by fostering an inclusive, diverse and active community built on a shared passion for Human Rights.

Student Groups
Public Interest Law Network
The Public Interest Law Network (PILN) is a student organisation based at Melbourne Law School which aims to raise awareness of public interest law issues and connect students with opportunities to volunteer and work in the public interest law sector. PILN works to achieve these aims primarily through running events and sharing information about social justice issues or external events. We hope that this page can act as a forum where anyone can post relevant news and information about upcoming events to do with public interest law.
Law Students for Refugees
Law Students for Refugees is a student-led organisation from the University of Melbourne Graduate School Association that promotes and protects the welfare of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia. We advocate for refugee rights and aim to increase awareness of refugee-related issues through our events, blog posts, preparation of letters to Ministers and in-person rallies around Victoria. LSFR also launched our Legal Assistance Program in November 2021 which currently sees around 100 students placed in volunteer organisations assisting Afghan refugees with their visa applications. Whilst we are run by law students, LSFR welcomes all interested parties to get involved in our initiatives, students or otherwise.
Student Societies
The Law School has several student groups who represent the interests of its students. They run social activities, career network, tutorials, mooting competitions and many other activities and programs to assist in your overall student experience. They are:
- Criminal and Family Law Association (CFLA)
- Film, Arts, Media and Entertainment Law Students' Association (FAME LSA)
- Global Law Students Association (GLSA)
- Later Law Students' Network (LLSN)
- Law Students' Society (LSS)
- Lawyers Without Borders (LWOB)
- Melbourne China Law Society (MCLS)
- Melbourne Law Masters Student Association (MLMSA)
- Melbourne Sports Law Association (MSLA)
- Public Interest Law Network (PILN)
- Science and Technology Law Association (SATLA)
- Victorian Environmental Law Student Network (VELSN)
Graduate Student Societies
The Law School and the University of Melbourne have student groups who represent the interests of graduate researchers. They run social activities, career network, tutorials, thesis boot camp competitions and many other activities and programs to assist in your overall student experience. They are:
Our Research
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Working Paper Series
MLS Human Rights Program working paper series recognises and promotes the high quality and innovative scholarship in the field of human rights which is being produced by MLS students enrolled in the JD, LLM and RHD programs.
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Publications
Publications published by MLS Human Rights Program members and students.
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Melbourne Human Rights Blog
The MLS Human Rights Blog is co-created by postgraduate students and staff from the Law School at the University of Melbourne. (This blog will be online soon!)
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Teaching Programs
JD. LLM and Breadth
Melbourne Law School offers an extensive range of human rights subjects in its JD and Masters programs. It also offers the subject, Human Rights and Global Justice as a breadth subject to students undertaking undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne.
Melbourne Law Masters
The Melbourne JD
- Equality and Discrimination Law
- Human Rights Law and Practice
- Refugee Law
- Treaty: Indigenous-settler Agreements
Breadth subject
Clinical Program
Students enrolled in The Melbourne JD have the opportunity to enrol in an exciting range of clinical programs which deal with human rights issues.
Internships
Students enrolled in the JD and MLM program have the opportunity to participate in local or international internships with leading human rights organisations
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Human Rights Portrait Gallery
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Human Rights Playlist
An evolving list of songs identified by students that reflect human rights values
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Human Rights Podcast
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MLS Human Rights Hub
Capturing the transformation of the physical teaching spaces
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Human Rights Advocacy Project
A series of short videos from experts on top tips for HR advocacy
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Acknowledgement Project