Gender and Health Law (LAWS90271)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
June
Teaching staff:
Anna Arstein-Kerslake (Subject Coordinator)
For current student enquiries, contact the Law School Academic Support Office
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | June |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This subject examines gender and health law. It takes an international comparative perspective – examining case studies across the globe in Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America, etc. It draws on international law, such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and incorporates World Health Organisation guidelines and documents. It will also engage students in analysis at the domestic level for various jurisdictions – including Australian commonwealth and state/territory government regulation and civil society reports.
It also explores the effect of intersecting forms of marginalisation on health rights; for example, women and gender minorities (trans and gender diverse people, intersex people, non-binary people, and others) that are members of other marginalised groups, such as disabled people, racial minorities and/or religious minorities. This subject is relevant for students who are interested in understanding modern issues of gender and health law and for those interested in exploring how to improve health law to ensure positive impacts for women and gender minorities.
Indicative list of principal topics:
- Decision-making denial to women and gender minorities in health and medical related choices (history and modern legal impacts),
- Absence of gender diversity in health and medical research (history and modern legal impacts),
- Access to health and medical care in relation to gender and intersectional identities (human rights lens),
- Gender-related medical interventions and the law, including in relation to minors (regulation of gender affirming surgery, treatments, etc.),
- Reproductive choice (women and gender minorities),
- Gaps in health and medical care in relation to gender-specific health and medical issues – and the role of the law (human rights lens) – for example, endometriosis and menopause,
- Gendered harms from health care drugs and devices. For example, vaginal mesh, breast implants, IUDs, and thalidomide.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject should be able to:
- Examine and explain the diverse field of Gender and Health Rights and its role in international and domestic spheres,
- Apply recent developments in the Gender and Health Rights field, including the most recent UN body statements and relevant international and domestic court cases and legislative developments,
- Interpret and distil the knowledge and analysis gained in the subject for a broad audience, particularly policy makers and other agents of change,
- Be able to demonstrate autonomy, creativity and responsibility as a legal practitioner in the field of Gender and Health Rights.
Generic skills
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to analyse international and domestic law, policy and practice,
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to responsibly apply international and domestic legal frameworks to lived experiences of minority groups,
- Have the sensitivity and skill to communicate complex legal analysis to the community and key stakeholders,
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Non-allowed subjects
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are taught at an advanced graduate level and requires a thorough background in common law. While efforts are made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, teaching and assessment activities are designed to give an advanced and integrated understanding of the discipline of law for legal practitioners, learners and researchers.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Reflective analysis
| 2 Weeks after the end of teaching | 20% |
Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 6 August 2025 | 80% |
| Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance is required. | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- June
Principal coordinator Anna Arstein-Kerslake Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 34 Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 14 May 2025 Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 11 June 2025 to 17 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 19 May 2025 Census date 13 June 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 25 July 2025 Assessment period ends 29 August 2025 June contact information
Teaching staff:
Anna Arstein-Kerslake (Subject Coordinator)
For current student enquiries, contact the Law School Academic Support Office
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters enrolment webpage for further information about re-enrolment, subject quotas and waitlists.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Diploma in Health and Medical Law Course Master of Laws Course Master of Health and Medical Law Course Graduate Diploma in Laws Course Juris Doctor - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If subject coordinator approval is required, or for further information about Community Access Program study, please contact us
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025