Presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Awards are an annual celebration of human rights achievements.

Join up to 500 guests from across the country to acknowledge, congratulate and share the important work of individuals and organisations who are making valuable contributions to advancing human rights in Australia.

This year, 17 finalists are being honoured across four categories:

Human Rights Medal
Young People’s Award
Community Award 
Law Award

The event coincides with International Human Rights Day (Dec 10) and will also feature the annual Human Rights Day Oration. This year's Orator will be acclaimed legal academic, writer and filmmaker Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO. Professor Behrendt was the recipient of the 2021 Human Rights Medal.

This year’s event will be the first in-person event since 2019, providing a great opportunity for people across the human rights, humanitarian, legal, government and community sectors as well as supporters of human rights advocacy to gather together for a memorable celebration of human rights heroes.

Awards ceremony

Friday 9 December, 5:30pm – 8pm
University of Technology Sydney Great Hall, UTS Building 1, 1/15 Broadway, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW
The ceremony will also be livestreamed nationally (details to come)

Guests will be treated to a pre-ceremony reception from 5:30pm in the Great Hall's foyer and balcony with delicious canapes as well as quality wines, beers and soft drinks.

The ceremony will commence at 6:30pm and will feature the 2022 Human Rights Day Oration as well and the presentation of the 2022 Human Rights Awards.

Many thanks to our event partners LexisNexis, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the University of Technology Sydney Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion for their generous support.

Participation

Tickets can be purchased to attend the live event in Sydney:

Standard | $60 (inc. GST)
Community | $40 (inc. GST) | students, seniors, concession-card holders and not-for-profit workers
Ally | $100 (inc. GST) | Buy 1 ticket and help subsidise 1 ticket for a community guest
Ally 5 Pack | $500 (inc. GST) | Buy 5 tickets and help subsidise 5 tickets for community guests + your name/company logo receives recognition at the event in programs and on screen.
Ally 10 Pack | $1000 (inc. GST) | Buy 10 tickets and help subsidise 10 tickets for community guests + your name/company logo receives premium recognition at the event in programs and on screen.

Participate Online

For those who can’t attend the event in Sydney, we’ll be broadcasting a FREE live stream of the Awards via Zoom.
The live stream will have live captioning and Auslan interpretation.
REGISTER NOW: https://utsmeet.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iWB6eLUOQRSe0AS5Kw03HA

Accessibility

The Great Hall is an accessible venue. Both the live event and online broadcast will have live captioning and Auslan interpretation. Please advise of any specific access requirements during the booking process.

COVID Safety

COVID remains a concern for all of us, so if you've tested positive for COVID or you're feeling unwell, please feel free to participate online rather than in person. Masks and hand sanitiser will be available at the venue.

2022 Human Rights Awards finalists

17 human rights champions have been selected as finalists for this year’s awards.

Human Rights Medal

Young People's Award

Law Award

Hugh de Kretser
HIV/AIDS Legal Centre
Scientia Professor Jane McAdam
Women’s Legal Service - First Nations Team

Community Award

Find out more about all the finalists: https://humanrights.gov.au/get...

2022 Human Rights Day Orator

Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO

This year's Oration will be delivered by acclaimed legal academic, writer and filmmaker Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO. Prof. Behrendt is Director of Research at the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research at UTS. She is also the host of Speaking Out on ABC Radio and is an award-winning filmmaker. Prof. Behrendt has published textbooks on Indigenous legal issues and is an acclaimed novelist.

About the Human Rights Awards

The Awards were established by the Australian Human Rights Commission in 1987 to recognise the contributions of individuals across the nation who made it their life’s mission to champion human rights, social justice and equality for all.

More than 35 years later, the Awards recognise the work of human rights advocates across Australia and the work of hundreds of people across a variety of sectors and endeavours.

Over this time, the Awards has evolved with a range of different awards presented at various times to respond to relevant changes across our society and culture. The esteemed Human Rights Medal remains the only category from the inaugural Awards that is still awarded.

The first Human Rights Medal winner was Indigenous activist Rose Colless OAM, who was acknowledged for her tireless work in drug and alcohol rehabilitation initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In the following years, the Human Rights Medal was awarded to other esteemed individuals including Fred Hollows, Peter Greste, Dorothy Hoddinott AO, Ian Thorpe, Jonathan Thurston, The Hon Peter McClellan AM QC and Chrissie Foster AM, Rosemary Kayess, and most recently, Professor Larissa Behrendt AO.

The Human Rights Awards provide Australia with an opportunity to honour the unsung heroes of human rights. They shine a light on and promote the work of champions who often go unrecognised for their efforts in challenging and transforming the realisation of human rights in Australia.

Enquires

For more information about the event or how to participate, please contact:

hrawards@humanrights.gov.au

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Event partners