By Christina Cushen Source: The Guardian Introduction Australia’s treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in offshore and mainland detention centres has been long criticised by human rights advocates and the United Nations. The Australian Government continues to violate its international obligations by arbitrarily detaining people and breaching the non-refoulment policy by sending asylum seekers and refugees back to the country where they escaped. Through case studies in wh

By Jeff Zhou Source: The Guardian Introduction The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the most water-scarce territory  in the world. Over 60% of its population lives in areas experiencing high water stress. Additionally, droughts and floods pose a major threat, as in 2021, rising temperatures led to desertification, impacting water supplies and food production processes. Over 12 million people were affected in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Iran.  With climate change ex

By Christina Cushen Source: Canva This article, written in recognition of World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2025, reflects on the ongoing human rights challenges faced by individuals living with mental illness.Imagine that you have been found not guilt y of a criminal offence due to your mental health illness, but instead you are confined in a mental health hospital in solitary confinement. This is exactly what is happening to one woman in Australia, who was found not gu