We work in partnership with people and communities to advance human rights.
We use strategic legal action and advocacy to defend hard-won human rights progress.
Our Story
Since 2006, the Human Rights Law Centre has advanced and protected the human rights of millions of people in Australia. Through our unique combination of strategic legal action, advocacy, and targeted media, we:
- helped achieve marriage equality in Australia
- challenged and overturned the detention of children in adult prisons
- secured voting rights for people in prison
- decriminalised abortion across the country
- won freedom and safety for over 500 people who were detained offshore.
We are one of Australia’s leading human rights charities, with our focus to advance systemic change across racial and socioeconomic equality.
The Human Rights Law Centre is fiercely independent, thanks to our partnerships with donors and philanthropists who support us to stand up for human rights to governments, institutions and companies in Australia.
We work as a trusted partner to people and communities, and civil society across Aboriginal, legal, health, community and other sectors to advance human rights.
We are an independent, UN-accredited community legal centre.
The Human Rights Law Centre is an independent, not-for-profit, non-government organisation that is a registered charity and that has deductible gift recipient status. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
The Human Rights Law Centre has consultative status accreditation with the UN Economic and Social Council, allowing us to participate formally in UN processes as a non-government organisation.
The Human Rights Law Centre is accredited with the National Community Legal Centre Accreditation Scheme. This quality assurance scheme assesses governance, legal practice and other industry standards for community legal services.
We do not provide legal help to members of the public directly. We only take on a small number of cases each year and they are developed in partnership with other organisations in accordance with our strategic priorities.
Our Commitment to Equity and Anti-Racism
We are committed to using our resources and influence to drive cultural change and address structural barriers to equal participation in the law. We have an Equitable Briefing Policy designed to guide the selection of legal counsel in litigious or advice work, and to set out our commitment to encouraging equitable briefing practices more broadly.
We are also committed to advancing anti-racism, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace systems and structures, as well as in the legal, policy and advocacy work that we do.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Darug and Wadawurrung people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders, both 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.