Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Ronli Sifris is an Associate Professor in Monash University’s Faculty of Law and Deputy Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law. She completed a LLM as a Hauser Scholar at NYU School of Law and a PhD at Monash University.
Her research is doctrinal, empirical and interdisciplinary. It is predominantly focused on issues at the intersection of women’s reproductive health and the law (at both the domestic and international level) including abortion, surrogacy, assisted reproduction and involuntary sterilisation. Further, her research spans other spheres of health law, human rights and gender. For example, she has conducted research on: conscientious objection in the context of voluntary assisted dying; the impact of climate change on vulnerable groups and is currently working on a project focussed on protecting the human rights of trans and gender diverse people.
She has published two sole authored books: Reproductive Freedom, Torture and International Human Rights: Challenging the Masculinisation of Torture (Routledge, 2014) and Towards Reproductive Justice (Monash University Publishing, 2024) and is currently writing a third book on surrogacy law, policy and practice.
In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Ronli has Co-Edited two special issues of high quality journals; an issue of the Griffith Law Review focusing on “Gender, Health and the Law” and an issue of the Journal of Law and Medicine focusing on “Commercial Surrogacy – What Role of Law”. She has also been an Editorial Board Member of the Australian Journal of Human Rights.
Further, in an effort to influence real legal change she has made submissions to a number of different Parliamentary Inquiries / Law Reform Commission Inquiries and has been cited / quoted in the resulting reports. She achieved significant research impact when the High Court of Australia accepted her application to appear as “amicus curiae” to assist in its deliberations on a constitutional challenge in the case of Clubb v Edwards and extensively quoted her empirical research in the final judgment.
Ronli is also a regular commentator in the media, having appeared on live television such as the BBC World News and written for outlets such as The Conversation and The Guardian.
You can find her on Twitter @RonliSifris and some of her papers on SSRN at http://ssrn.com/author=1444937.
Areas of Expertise
Reproductive Rights
Transitional Justice
Health Law
International Law
Human Rights
Gender and law
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- human rights
- reproductive rights
- gender
- transitional justice
- international law
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Exploring the Gendered Experience of Climate Change and Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Contemporary Indonesia
Puspita, S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Mouthaan, S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Davies, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Batagol, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sifris, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Pitaloka, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Barria, P. H. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Herrera Rosales, E. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/01/25 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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Building a Model of Future-proofing for Climate Resilience by Engaging Communities (MoFCREC) in Eastern Indonesia
Davies, S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Farrelly, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Batagol, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Warren, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Novalia, W. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sifris, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Idris, I. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lechner, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Permanasari, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Puspita, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Nasir, S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
10/08/23 → 28/02/25
Project: Research
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Health Law: Impact of Religion on End of Life Medical Treatment in Australia
Sifris, R. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
22/07/21 → 22/07/22
Project: Research
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Compensation in the context of surrogacy: a feminist perspective on the insistence on altruism
Sifris, R., 2025, The Feminist Legislation Project: Rewriting Laws for Gender-Based Justice. Batagol, B., Seear, K., Askola, H. & Walwisch, J. (eds.). 1st ed. Abingdon UK: Routledge, p. 143-154 12 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Erasing trans people: how to ensure Australia does not go down the same path as the United States
Gerber, P. & Sifris, R., 2024, In: Alternative Law Journal. 49, 4, p. 249-254 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Facilitating safe access to health care through legislative reform - the Australian experience
Penovic, T. & Sifris, R., 2024, In: Journal of Law and Medicine. 31, 1, p. 185-200 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
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Surrogacy
Sifris, R., 2024, Health Law in Australia. White, B. P., McDonald, F., Willmott, L. & Then, S.-N. (eds.). 4th ed. Pyrmont NSW Australia: Thomson Lawbook Co, p. 533-557 25 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
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Towards Reproductive Justice
Sifris, R., 2024, 1st ed. Melbourne Vic Australia: University of Melbourne. 88 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › Research
Prizes
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2012 Faculty Commendation Certificate in recognition of contribution to “Transitional Justice” which achieved a SETU survey score of 4.92 for “Overall Satisfaction” out of a possible 5
Sifris, R. (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2013 Faculty Award for Excellence in Research by an Early Career Researcher
Sifris, R. (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2014 Faculty Certificate of Recognition for one of the top 5 units (out of over 100) to demonstrate significant improvement in student satisfaction for “LAW3200 – Constitutional Law”
Sifris, R. (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2014 Faculty Certificate of Recognition for SETU Survey results for “Principles of Constitutional Law” in the top 20 units offered by the Law Faculty in 2014.
Sifris, R. (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2014 Letter of Congratulations from Prof Darrell Evans, Vice-Provost Learning and Teaching, for unit evaluations ranked in the top 7.2% of the university for “Principles of Constitutional Law”.
Sifris, R. (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Appearance at Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities
Castan, M. (Contributor), Sifris, R. (Fellow) & Walker, S. (Fellow)
22 Jan 2025Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Castan Centre Submission on Potential for a Human Rights Act for South Australia
Walker, S. (Fellow), Castan, M. (Contributor) & Sifris, R. (Contributor)
Feb 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Appearance at Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024 [Provisions]
Walker, S. (Contributor), Castan, M. (Contributor) & Sifris, R. (Contributor)
2 Dec 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
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Transforming Australia's Human Rights Framework: Panel Discussion
Walker, S. (Organiser), Castan, M. (Organiser), Sifris, R. (Organiser) & Debeljak, J. (Speaker)
12 Mar 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
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Castan Centre Submission to Consultation into Current and Emerging Threats to Trans and Gender Diverse Peoples' Human Rights
Scott Walker (Fellow), Ronli Sifris (Contributor) & Paula Gerber (Contributor)
May 2024Activity: External Academic Engagement › Submissions to industry or govt committees, commissions and inquiries
Press/Media
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Ronli Sifris, ‘Now that Roe v Wade has been overturned, what are the consequences?’ Monash Lens 27 June 2022
27/06/22 → 27/07/22
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Interview with BBC World News on the overturning of Roe v Wade
2/07/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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The Latest 7 News on the overturning of Roe v Wade
27/06/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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‘The question of conscientious objection in the voluntary assisted dying debate’ Monash Lens (20 May 2022)
20/05/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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‘Overturning Roe versus Wade will be a devastating blow for women, and women’s rights’ Monash Lens 5 May 2022
5/05/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment