Maintaining International Law: Judge Hilary Charlesworth

Name: Maintaining International Law: Judge Hilary Charlesworth
Start: 2026-10-13T18:00:00+10:00
End: 2026-10-13T18:00:00+10:00
Location: NSW Teachers Federation Conference Centre

About

Judge Hilary Charlesworth, currently a sitting member of the International Court of Justice, will be interviewed (via live stream) by Professor Des Manderson, in conversation with Professor Emily Crawford and Professor Catherine Renshaw, about the fundamental need to maintain the principles of international law. The seminar will also examine the Australian Parliament's role in protecting Australia's long-standing commitments to international law.

Our speakers:

Judge Hilary Charlesworth is one of only three Australians ever elected as permanent members of the International Court of Justice and the first Australian female. Prior to her election, Hilary was Harrison Moore Professor of Law and a Laureate Professor at Melbourne Law School and previously served as a Distinguished Professor at the Australian National University. She has been a member of the Executive Council of the Asian Society of International Law, the American Society of International Law and President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law. Judge Charlesworth is a member of the Institut de Droit International and the British Academy. Her research has included international and Australian human rights law, feminist approaches to international law, peacebuilding, and international institutions.

Professor Des Manderson will moderate this event. He is a global pioneer in the field of law and the humanities, through writing and teaching that bridges legal theory, philosophy, cultural studies and the arts. He brings to this conversation a deep knowledge of interdisciplinary studies and a strong commitment to public engagement with the law.

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.

Professor Catherine Renshaw is the Dean of the Law School at Western Sydney University. She established the International Human Rights Law chapter of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law in 2022, and she is Deputy Chair of the International Law Section of the Law Council of Australia. Her research focuses on the legitimacy and effectiveness of international human rights law here and across the Indo-Pacific.

This event is co-hosted by Amnesty International Australia, the ANU Law School, the Human Rights Law Centre, and the International Comparative Law Cluster from La Trobe Law School. Come from 5:30 pm for a 6:00 pm start. After the event, please join us for a complimentary light supper with Professors Manderson, Crawford and Renshaw.

Any monies received in excess of costs for this lecture will be donated to UNICEF.

Acknowledgement of Country: The Association for the Promotion of International Law acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we stand, the Gamaragal people. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.