Shmuel Levin - HAKAM

Shmuel is thrilled to be participating in the Castan Centre’s Global Internship Program at the National Human Rights Centre (HAKAM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

During his degree, Shmuel has developed a passion for working on human rights issues related to the Asia-Pacific region. Shmuel was a volunteer with the Pacific Small Arms Action Group, a UN-funded NGO that was founded by Oxfam to reduce armed violence across the Asia-Pacific. In this role, Shmuel worked with 12 governments to review and reform arms management frameworks in light of international law standards.

Shmuel is particularly interested in the intersection between religion, society, and human rights. During his degree, Shmuel was fortunate to study Islamic law at Monash University’s Malaysia campus, and undertook a study program in Indonesia examining the Australia-Asia relationship. Shmuel has also studied Jewish law and international law as it pertains to Israeli society and the Middle East conflict at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Shmuel has also completed an honours thesis examining the intersection between education rights and religious communities under international law, and prior to his degree, Shmuel spent a year volunteering with a community school in the United States.

At HAKAM, Shmuel is looking forward to further developing his practical skills in promoting and defending human rights. Shmuel is particularly looking forward to engaging with the complex interplay between Malaysia’s society, religion, and justice system. Shmuel is incredibly grateful to the Castan Centre and Monash University for this opportunity and is excited to contribute to the important work of human rights defenders in the Asia-Pacific.