A record 10 human rights projects have been awarded seed funding from the Australian Human Rights Institute's 2025 seed funding and joint seed funding schemes.
Research receiving grant support totaling $139,111 includes projects examining the weaponisation of accounting and legal professionals by perpetrators of intimate partner violence; the regulation of treatment for trans children in Australia; healthcare and supports for people living with HIV in prison; an analysis of privacy in children's apps; and the sexual and reproductive rights of people with intellectual disability.
The seed funding program is open to UNSW research projects that address and relate to human rights. Applications – of which there were a record 36 this year – are 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 Disability Innovation Institute UNSW and the faculties of Business, Engineering and Law & Justice provided additional joint seed funding opportunities in 2025, with seven grants of up to $20,000.
A list of all successful 2025 applicants is available below.
Australian Human Rights Institute grants
Responding to the double burden of human rights concerns among adults with dementia leaving prison later in their life through co-designing dementia care and support pathway.
Dr Amanuel Kidane Hagos
School of Population Health, Medicine & Health
Funding: $6,250
Improving continuity of healthcare and supports for people living with HIV in prison and after release: A longitudinal qualitative study
Dr Paul Simpson
Justice Health Research Program, Medicine & Health
Funding: $6,250
Detecting AI-generated child sexual abuse material: evaluating the potential of deep learning algorithms for differentiating between synthetic and real media
Dr Rachel Berry
School of Biomedical Sciences, Medicine & Health
Funding: $5,000
Joint grants with the UNSW Faculty of Engineering
Improving water and sanitation access in remote villages in Fiji through continuous water testing, community engagement and capacity building
Dr Laura Montano
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Funding: $20,000
Protecting young minds: An empirical analysis of privacy in children's apps' terms and conditions
Dr Rahat Masood
School of Computer Science & Engineering
Funding: $20,000
Joint grants with the UNSW Faculty Law & Justice
Technology facilitated abuse using connected cars: Gaps, limitations and supporting victim-survivor safety
Associate Professor Katharine Kemp
School of Global & Public Law
Funding: $15,000
Professional boundaries in the regulation of treatment for trans children in Australia
Dr Chris Dietz
International Centre for Future Health Systems, Medicine & Health/Law & Justice
Funding: $15,000
Joint grant with the Disability Innovation Institute UNSW
Sexual and reproductive rights for people with intellectual disability: Exploring stigma and attitudes toward contraceptive decision-making for people with intellectual disability
Dr Maryann Barrington
National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health, Medicine & Health
Funding: $11,613
Joint grants with the UNSW Business School
Breaking barriers: Designing inclusive digital health systems to uphold the rights of stateless communities
Associate Professor Carmen Leong
School of Information Systems and Technology Management
Funding: $20,000
The (ethical) standards we walk past: Addressing the weaponisation of accounting and legal professionals by perpetrators of intimate partner financial abuse
Associate Professor Ann Kayis-Kumar
School of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation
Funding $20,000