Michelle Freillich - IWRAW-AP

Michelle is excited and humbled by the opportunity to intern at IWRAW in Kuala Lumpur and accompany the organisation to Geneva.

Michelle’s interest in human rights and the interplay between law and social justice has developed through her Bachelor of Laws and Arts. In particular, her passion for women’s rights was honed through her study of law, gender and feminism in her Law degree and her study of human rights and behavioural studies, with a focus on gender, in her Arts degree. During her semester studying abroad in Leeds, Michelle undertook units that explored the intersection of gender, culture and legal policy, bolstering her interest in the capacity for the law to shape gender politics.

As President of a social justice youth movement, Michelle developed and facilitated educational social justice programs for high school students with a focus on youth empowerment in relation to human rights. Currently, Michelle volunteers at the Jewish Holocaust Centre, conducting interviews that explore the correlation between intergenerational trauma and social justice. She is also involved with the Father Bob Foundation. Further, Michelle has volunteered abroad in Israel and the Palestinian territories and with the Volunteer for Children and Development Organisation in Cambodia.

In Michelle’s work at the Monash Oakleigh Legal Service in both the Generalist Service and Family Law Assistance Program she developed insight into the disadvantage and abuse experienced by women, and became acutely aware of the need for reform in women’s rights. Her broader stance on the importance of access to justice was enhanced through her work as a research assistant in the Law Faculty of Monash University, which focused on the involvement of students in community legal centres.

Michelle is very excited to work with IWRAW as a leading NGO defending and advocating for women’s human rights. She is particularly looking forward to being involved with IWRAW’s Global to Local training programme as she is passionate about the empowerment of women, and both the international and grassroots activism of NGOs. Michelle hopes to gain a deeper understanding of how legal policy can be utilised to foster social change. She also hopes to develop her practical skills while contributing to IWRAW’s meaningful work. Michelle is extremely grateful for this opportunity to gain invaluable insight and experience in defending women’s human rights.