Law | Health | Justice researchers advancing equity in health through responsive, human-centered legal solutions.
Equity, Human Rights and Health
The Equity, Human Rights, and Health theme at UTS Law | Health | Justice addresses critical social and legal issues at the intersection of health and human rights, promoting equitable, person-centred care across diverse communities. Projects under this theme explore complex areas such as care models for individuals with innate variations of sex characteristics, human rights adaptation to climate-related health impacts, and the intergenerational health effects of social inequality. Additional research investigates gendered violence, menstrual discrimination, and support for unpaid carers, aiming to inform legal frameworks that address systemic harm and enhance social and economic rights. Through cross-disciplinary collaboration, the theme seeks to create legal and policy pathways that respond to the needs of vulnerable populations, advancing a more just and inclusive approach to health and human rights.
Researchers
Recent Work
Models of Care for People with Innate Variations of Sex Characteristics
This research, collaboratively led by Dr Aileen Kennedy, Dr Morgan Carpenter, and Bonnie Hart, seeks to develop co-designed, person-centred models of care that improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of people with innate variations of sex characteristics and their families. The research, in partnership with University of Sydney, Intersex Human Rights Australia, Canberra Health Services, Australian National University, University of Southern Queensland, University of Queensland, UNSW, La Trobe University, University of Western Australia, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Canberra, Intersex Peer Support Australia and A Gender Agenda, will draw on the knowledge and insight of those with lived experience to transform models of care from narrow biomedical to practical multidisciplinary approaches that centre psychosocial support. For more information see 'Models of Care for People with Intersex Variations'.
Inheriting Inequality
Emerging epigenetic research reveals that social inequalities—rooted in gender, socio-economic, and racial disparities—can lead to inheritable biological harm. Trauma from sources such as child abuse, domestic violence, slavery, and poverty can alter gene expression, resulting in persistent health impacts like low birth weight, cardiovascular issues, and cognitive deficits, which can be passed to subsequent generations. This research led by Distinguished Professor Isabel Karpin calls for a legal framework that recognises and addresses these intergenerational harms, aiming to mitigate the health effects of inequality and provide vulnerable groups with pathways out of inherited disadvantage. For more information see: bioinequalities.com.
Human Rights-informed Adaptation in Response to Climate Change related Inequalities
This research, led by Prof Beth Goldblatt in collaboration with Dr Cristy Clark of the University of Canberra, seeks to understand the complex inequalities, including severe health impacts, resulting from climate change on a range of populations based on race, gender, class, disability, age, etc. Drawing on grounded research with NSW communities facing flooding, increasing temperatures and inadequate water supply, this research will inform legal responses using human rights and discrimination law to ensure equitable adaptation.
Gendered Harm and Violence
This project Led by Prof Beth Goldblatt and Dr Jane Wangmann looks at the links between poverty, lack of services and gendered violence and how rights-based responses to material inequality can prevent and respond to violence.
Past Projects
Menstruation and Discrimination
This project led by Prof Beth Goldblatt and Dr Linda Steele looks at discrimination relating to menstruation as it affects women and girls, including particular challenges for people with disabilities.
Unpaid Carers and the Social Reproduction of Harm
This project, led by Prof Beth Goldblatt in collaboration with politics scholar, Prof Shirin Rai of the University of Warwick, looks at the inadequacy of legal frameworks to provide for harms faced by unpaid carers of people who are ill or injured. It suggests new ways of understanding and compensating harm at national and international levels. Professor Goldblatt continues to work in this important area.
