Goal #16

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

UNSW is committed to peace, justice and strong institutions and demonstrates this through:

  • Research informing and engaging leading debate in areas such as constitutional law and refugee justice
  • Our leading Law & Justice faculty, built on a steadfast commitment to the pursuit of social justice and the provision of free legal and tax advice for our students
  • Ensuring that UNSW is an accountable and inclusive institution at all levels, including reporting wrongdoing
  • The Kingsford Legal Centre, a community legal centre providing free legal advice, casework and legal education to our local community.
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Delivering access to justice for the most disadvantaged members of our community

The Kingsford Legal Centre (KLC) is a community legal centre providing free legal advice, casework and legal education to the local community. KLC is part of the UNSW Sydney Faculty of Law & Justice and provides a number of clinical legal education programs to its students. KLC's lawyers, volunteers and students help over 1,500 local community members each year with problems such as domestic violence, discrimination, housing, employment, criminal law, credit and debt, fines and victim’s compensation and is committed to social justice and to promoting access to and reform of the legal system.

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Dr Phillip Wadds' leadership on the Purple Flag program

Dr Wadds is also currently serving as the inaugural lead assessor for the NSW government’s Purple Flag program. The Purple Flag is an international accreditation program for excellence in managing the night-time economy. When you see the Purple Flag sign, you’ll know the area meets standards of excellence in vibrancy, diversity and safety at night. This includes good access to public transport, street lighting and great food and beverage.

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Photo of a woman crossing the road at night by Anubhav Saxena on Unsplash

The Truth Defence: Ben Roberts-Smith and the Media

Hear from investigative journalist Chris Masters, UNSW Sydney legal experts Douglas Guilfoyle and Daniel Joyce, and host Geraldine Doogue as they unravel the remarkable story of Ben Roberts-Smith, examining the highly anticipated trial of the century and unpacking what it means for journalism and justice in Australia. 

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The Asia Law and Policy Forum

The Asia Law and Policy Forum at UNSW Law & Justice is a network of researchers who foster and support research on law and politics in Asia. Dr Mario Gomez of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies and Professor Melissa Crouch collaborated on a two-year project called Reimagining Vulnerability in the Light of COVID 19 in Sri Lanka that received $420,000 funding under a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Sri Lanka grant scheme

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The Indigenous Law Centre

Established in 1981, the Indigenous Law Centre (ILC) is the only Indigenous law research centre in Australia. The ILC contributes to the recognition, protection and development of the legal rights and freedoms of Indigenous peoples both in Australia and internationally. The Centre achieves this by conducting and disseminating innovative and high quality research on Indigenous legal issues and through community legal education on issues of particular significance.

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The Sustainable Development Reform Hub

The SDR Hub was established by the UNSW Faculty of Law and Justice in 2022. The Hub supports action-focused collaboration between UNSW and other institutions, governments and communities. Its activities are designed to catalyse a new generation of ambitious and pragmatic legal, policy and governance reform - to realise the integrated environmental, social and economic objectives recognised in global commitments concerning sustainable development (in particular the 2030 Agenda).

Natural Capital Accounting pilot in the Maldives

Aerial shot of the beaches and water of Maldives by Jailam Rashad from Unsplash

The Government of the Republic of the Maldives is developing natural capital accounts through pilot testing of the System of Environmental Economic Accounting Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) framework in Laamu Atoll. The pilot is being implemented by UNSW, the Fisheries Resource Center of Indonesia (Rekam Nusantara Foundation) and MNU. 

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Canadian Ocean Accounts: A Pilot Project

Photo of the ocean in Tel Aviv-Yafo by Joseph Barrientos from Unsplash

The Canadian Ocean Accounts pilot was established as a collaborative project with the Department of Fisheries, Oceans Canada and Statistics Canada in early 2019. With a budget of approximately $1 million over four years, the pilot supported the commitments outlined as part of the Ocean Panel.

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UNSW Strategy in Action 2025

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UNSW 2025 Strategy Update

This document celebrates the key achievements of the first phase of the 2025 Strategy, highlighting where we have come from and where we are now. It also updates the framework against which we will assess, track and measure existing and new strategic initiatives over the next five years.

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UNSW Annual Reports

Informing, engaging and leading through critical thinking, evidence and debate.

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Ethics and Engineering for the public good

Collage of the four panellists for 'Ethics and Engineering for the public good'

This discussion explored how ethical thinking is required in helping engineers and technical professionals navigate the day to day realities of their projects and contribute to a sustainable and just society. 

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Expendable Australians

Australians abroad have found themselves in harm’s way in recent years. As COVID slammed the doors of Australia shut and authoritarian regimes acquired the nasty habit of turning Australians into political prisoners, the world became a more dangerous place. With global crises proliferating, where is it too dangerous to go? If an Australian passport does not protect you, what are you owed by your government? This event was part of UNSW x Festival of Dangerous Ideas and UNSW x Social Sciences Week 2022.

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Drug Policy Modelling Program

The Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) aims to improve alcohol and drug policy and the Australian Government Department of Health engaged the Drug Policy Modelling Program at UNSW to develop a National Treatment Framework (NTF).

 

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UNSW Law & Justice

UNSW campus Law building

UNSW Law & Justice is a top-ranking faculty and a global leader in law and criminology education and research, setting the pace in Australia for 50 years.   

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The Institute for Global Development

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Invested in more than 35 projects since 2016, building institutional and community capacity, and supporting student placements and peer learning exchanges with partners in developing countries.

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Centre for Crime, Law and Justice

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Building on the strong tradition of criminal justice research and scholarship at UNSW, the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice was established in 2018. The Centre's primary goal is to support staff and higher degree researchers in the production of multi-disciplinary scholarship on important topics in criminal law, criminal justice, criminology and crime prevention that are of pressing local, national and international significance. 

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Student union

Photo of Wellness Warriors at Diversity Festival 2023

Arc is the student organisation at UNSW - run by students, for students.  Its mission is to create the best student experience through Clubs, Sport, Volunteering, Events, Wellness, Help and more.

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UNSW Sustainable Development Goals 2022 Report


This report outlines UNSW's performance against the SDGs in 2022.


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