Human Rights Law Centre

Description

The Human Rights Law Centre is an independent, not-for-profit, non-government organisation based in Melbourne, Australia, active since 2006. It is a registered charity with deductible gift recipient status, holds consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, and is accredited under the National Community Legal Centre Accreditation Scheme.

The Centre advances and protects human rights through strategic legal action, policy analysis and advocacy. It works in partnership with people, communities and civil society across Aboriginal, legal, health and community sectors. It takes on only a small number of cases each year, chosen in line with its strategic priorities and developed with partner organisations. It does not provide general legal help directly to the public.

Through the Whistleblower Project it provides direct legal advice and representation to whistleblowers, described as Australia’s first and only specialist legal support service of its kind. Its work has contributed to achieving marriage equality in Australia, overturning the detention of children in adult prisons, securing voting rights for people in prison, decriminalising abortion nationwide, and bringing more than 500 people to freedom from offshore detention.

Current focus areas include First Nations justice, migration justice, corporate accountability, conditions for people in prison, democratic freedoms, human rights acts, climate justice and reproductive rights. The Centre is funded through donors and philanthropic partnerships.