Australia, International Law and Armed Conflict: What are our obligations

7 November 2025

Parliamentarians are making decisions today that will define Australia's compliance with international law in years ahead. From sanctions and arms exports to humanitarian aid and recognition of states, choices made now carry real legal and political consequences.

Join leading jurists and international law experts for a concise, high-level briefing on Australian state and territory obligations in overseas conflicts and the risks, responsibilities, and opportunities for state and territory parliamentary leadership.

There will be two events hosted in Melbourne and Sydney.

Speakers

Adjunct Professor Chris Sidoti is a leading human rights advocate and legal expert. He served as Australian Human Rights Commissioner (1995-2000), Australian Law Reform Commissioner (1992-1995) and was the founding Director of the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1987-1992). Internationally, he was a member of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar (2017-2019) and is currently a Commissioner on the UN Inquiry into the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel.

Professor Emily Crawford is an internationally recognised expert in international law at Sydney Law School, specialising in international humanitarian and criminal law. In 2023, she was awarded the Max Plank-Cambridge Prize for International Law for her outstanding research contributions.

Melbourne

️ Wednesday, 19 November from 6pm - 7.30pm
State Library Victoria Theatrette, Melbourne VIC

Caitlin Reiger will chair this event. Ms Reiger is a human rights lawyer and CEO of the Human Rights Law Centre. She has spent the past 25 years working globally on transitional justice for mass human rights violations, international criminal law, and justice system reform.

Sydney

️ Thursday, 27 November from 6.30pm - 8pm
The Auditorium, Surry Hills NSW

Justice Elizabeth Evatt AC will chair this event. Justice Evatt was the first Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia and also the first female judge of an Australian federal court. She was the first Australian to be elected to the United National Human Rights Committee and has sat on numerous national and international tribunals and commissions.

These events are co-hosted by the ANU Law School, the International Commission of Jurists and Amnesty International. All welcome.

Any monies received in excess of costs for this event will be donated equally to Médecins Sans Frontières, UNICEF and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.

Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who take injustice personally. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all - and we can only do it with your support.

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