Research projects on disability-inclusive disaster responses in the Philippines, renewable energy transition in Mongolia, climate change and affordable energy in the Pacific, and sexual health services for non-binary people in NSW are among the six projects to receive financial grants from the Australian Human Rights Institute's 2024 seed funding round.
The grants program is open to UNSW research projects that address and relate to human rights, with applications accepted from Institute Associates across all UNSW faculties and partner institutions.
As well as the usual offering of Institute grants in the range of $5000-$10,000, partnerships with the UNSW Disability Innovation Institute and the Faculty of Engineering provided additional joint seed funding opportunities in 2024, with two $20,000 grants. These grants were made available for projects with a disability focus and for research at the intersection of engineering and human rights.
A list of all successful 2024 applicants is available below.
Australian Human Rights Institute grants
Promoting human rights to clean environment and health through tech-driven behavioural change for renewable energy transition in Mongolia
Associate Professor Carmen Leong
Business School, School of Information Systems and Technology Management
Funding: $9,950
Understanding the experiences of system-impacted students: A national first initiative
Dr. Kev Dertadian
Faculty of Law and Justice, School of Law, Society and Criminology
Funding: $7,000
The human right to sexual healthcare: A study on the accessibility of NSW sexual health services to non-binary people in line with the NSW STI Strategy
Scientia Research Fellow Heather McCormack
Faculty of Medicine and Health, Kirby Institute
Funding: $7,000
Expressions of abuse and agency: Art-making addresses human rights violations in Australian criminal legal jurisdictions
Professor Tony Butler
Faculty of Medicine, Justice Health, School of Population Health
Funding: $7,000
Joint grant with the UNSW Disability Innovation Institute
Co-designing disability-inclusive disaster response in the Philippines
Dr Georgia Van Toorn
Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, School of Social Sciences,
Funding: $20,000
Joint grant with the UNSW Faculty of Engineering
Providing clean and affordable energy to Pacific Island Countries: Energy assessment considering climate change
Dr Shukla Poddar
Faculty of Engineering, School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering
Funding: $20,000
There are currently more than 200 Institute Associates from every UNSW faculty, with expertise across a broad array of human rights issues. Further information about the Institute Associates program is available here.
You can explore some of the many different Associate projects financially supported by the Institute in previous years here.