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Associate Professor Bassina Farbenblum

Associate Professor Bassina Farbenblum

Associate Professor

B.Sc./ LL.B. (UNSW), LL.M. (New York University)

Law & Justice
School of Global & Public Law

Bassina joined UNSW as in 2009 after a decade as a human rights litigator and clinical legal educator in New York, Mumbai, and Sydney. She is the founding Co-Executive Director of the Migrant Justice Institute, a global not-for-profit organisation that partners with UNSW Law.Bassina was founder and Director of the from 2009 to 2019. Bassina has led numerous national and global research teams on the rights of migrant workers in Australia, Asia, the US and globally, working closely with civil society, trade unions, business, governments, donors, and international organisations. Her research establishes an evidence base and theoretical frameworks for preventing exploitation of migrant workers and enabling access to justice under domestic and international law.

Before coming to UNSW Bassina practiced at the New York Bar. She was a litigation attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's Immigrants' Rights Project, and at appellate law firm WilmerHale LLP, where she argued the first U.S. Court of Appeals case on the national-security exception to asylum. Bassina also directed a human rights clinical program at Seton Hall Law School. Bassina began her legal career as a solicitor at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and at Minter Ellison in Sydney, and a policy officer at the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Phone
+61 412 105 177
E-mail
b.farbenblum@unsw.edu.au
Location
Room 338 Law Building UNSW Kensington Campus
  • Books | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, Migrant Workers’ Access to Justice at Home: Nepal, Open Society Foundations,
    Books | 2013
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S, 2013, Migrant Workers' Access to Justice at Home: Indonesia, Open Society Foundations,
  • Book Chapters | 2023
    Berg L; Farbenblum B, 2023, 'Exploitation of Unauthorised Migrant Workers in Australia: Access to the Protection of Employment Law', in Migrant Labour and the Reshaping of Employment Law, pp. 163 - 187,
    Book Chapters | 2021
    Kintominas A; Berg L; Farbenblum B, 2021, 'Technology for engaging and empowering migrant workers', in McAuliffe M (ed.), Research Handbook on International Migration and Digital Technology, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, UK / USA, pp. 236 - 250,
  • Edited Books | 2021
    McAuliffe M, (ed.), 2021, Research Handbook on International Migration and Digital Technology,
  • Journal articles | 2021
    Reilly A; Howe J; Berg L; Farbenblum B, 2021, ''Understanding International Students' Professed Satisfaction with Underpaid Work in Australia'', Monash University Law Review, 46, pp. 50 - 78
    Journal articles | 2020
    Berg L; Farbenblum B; Kintominas A, 2020, 'Addressing Exploitation in Supply Chains: Is technology a game changer for worker voice?', The Anti-Trafficking Review, pp. 47 - 66,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2020, '“We might not be citizens but we are still people”: Australia’s disregard for the human rights of international students during COVID-19', Australian Journal of Human Rights, 26, pp. 486 - 506,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2018, 'Remedies for Migrant Worker Exploitation in Australia: Lessons from the 7-Eleven Wage Repayment Program', Melbourne University Law Review, 41, pp. 1035 - 1084,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Howe J; Berg L; Farbenblum B, 2018, 'Unfair Dismissal Law and Temporary Migrant Labour in Australia', Federal Law Review, 46, pp. 19 - 48,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Howe J; Berg L; Farbenblum B, 2018, 'Unfair Dismissal Law and Temporary Migrant Labour in Australia', Federal Law Review, 46, pp. 19 - 48,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2017, 'Migrant Workers' Access to Remedy for Exploitation in Australia: The Role of the National Fair Work Ombudsman', Australian Journal of Human Rights, 23,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Nolan J; farbenblum B, 2017, 'The Business of Migrant Worker Recruitment: Who has the Responsibility and Leverage to Protect Rights?', Texas International Law Journal, 52, pp. 1 - 44
    Journal articles | 2016
    FARBENBLUM B, 2016, 'Governance of Migrant Worker Recruitment: A Rights-Based Framework for Countries of Origin', Asian Journal of International Law, pp. 1 - 33,
    Journal articles | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, 'Executive Deference in U.S. Refugee Law: Internationalist Paths through and beyond Chevron', Duke Law Journal, 60, pp. 1059 - 1122,
    Journal articles | 2010
    Bettinger-Lόpez C; Farbenblum B, 2010, 'The Human Rights of Non-citizens. By David Weissbrodt. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Pp. xxiii, 257. Index. $130, £63.00.', American Journal of International Law, 104, pp. 714 - 718,
    Journal articles | 2006
    Allen SA; Rich JD; Bux RC; Farbenblum B; Berns M; Rubenstein L, 2006, 'Deaths of detainees in the custody of US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2002 to 2005', MedGenMed Medscape General Medicine, 8
  • Reports | 2021
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2021, Migrant Workers' Access to Justice for Wage Theft: A Global Study of Promising Initiatives, Migrant Justice Institute, ,
    Reports | 2020
    Berg L; Farbenblum B; Huang Y; Lee D; Saleh S; Sharma A; Kintominas A, 2020, "As If We Weren't Humans": The abandonment of temporary migrants in Australia during COVID-19, Migrant Worker Justice Initiative,
    Reports | 2020
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2020, International Students and Wage Theft in Australia, Migrant Worker Justice Initiative, Sydney, Australia,
    Other | 2020
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2020, Submission 102 to Senate Economics References Committee Inquiry into unlawful underpayment of employees' remuneration, ,
    Other | 2020
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2020, Submission No 32 to NSW Portfolio Committee No. 3 - Education Inquiry into Future Development of the NSW Tertiary Education Sector, ,
    Other | 2020
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2020, Submission No 33 to Senate Select Committee on Temporary Migration Inquiry into the impact temporary migration has on the Australian economy, wages and jobs, social cohesion and workplace rights and conditions, ,
    Reports | 2019
    Berg L; Farbenblum B, 2019, Living Precariously: Understanding International Students’ Housing Experiences in Australia, ,
    Other | 2018
    Farbenblum B; Berg L; Kintominas A, 2018, Submission to Australian Human Rights Commission Consultation into Human Rights and Technology, ,
    Reports | 2018
    Farbenblum B; Berg L; Kintominas A, 2018, Transformative Technology for Migrant Workers: Opportunities, Challenges and Risks, Open Society Foundations, New York, ,
    Other | 2018
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2018, Submission No 21 to Senate Standing Committees on Education and Employment Inquiry into the exploitation of general and specialist cleaners working in retail chains for contracting or subcontracting cleaning companies (2018),
    Other | 2018
    Farbenblum B; Laurie B, 2018, Submission No 42 to Queensland Education, Employment and Small Business Committee Inquiry into Wage Theft in Queensland, ,
    Reports | 2018
    Farbenblum B; Laurie B, 2018, Wage Theft in Silence: Why Temporary Migrant Workers Do Not Recover Their Unpaid Wages in Australia,
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Farbenblum B, 2018, 'Exploitation of International Students in Accommodation and at Work: A Call to Action', presented at Symposium on Leading Education Recruitment, Brisbane, 17 September 2018 - 17 September 2018
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Farbenblum B, 2018, 'Exploitation of International Students: A Role for the International Education Sector', presented at Australian International Education Conference, Sydney, 12 October 2018 - 12 October 2018
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Farbenblum B, 2018, 'The National Temporary Migrant Work Survey: Findings and barriers to addressing underpayment', presented at Research Workshop: Migrant workers in the farm sectors of the United States and Australia, Sydney University, 15 November 2018 - 15 November 2018
    Reports | 2017
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2017, International Students and the Fair Work Ombudsman, Commonwealth Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman,
    Reports | 2017
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2017, Wage Theft in Australia: Findings of the National Temporary Migrant Work Survey, ,
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2016, 'Remedying migrant worker exploitation in Australia – Lessons from the 7-Eleven Wage Panel', presented at 'International and Comparative Perspectives on Australian Labour Migration’ Workshop, Melbourne, 21 July 2016 - 22 July 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2016, 'Remedying migrant worker exploitation in Australia', presented at Symposium on Transnational People-Movement and Social Rights, Sydney University, 13 December 2016 - 14 December 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    Farbenblum B, 2016, 'Strategies, Approaches and Stakeholders', presented at Regional Dialogue on Women Migrant Workers, Bangkok, 07 December 2016 - 09 December 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Farbenblum B, 2015, 'Addressing Policy Gaps in International Labor Recruitment Regulation', presented at Solidarity Centre Conference on Worker Rights & Shared Prosperity, Bogor, Indonesia, -
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Farbenblum B, 2015, 'Beyond Pre-departure – Pursuing Access to Justice', presented at Solidarity Centre Conference on Worker Rights & Shared Prosperity, Bogor, Indonesia, -
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Farbenblum B, 2015, 'Strengthening Indonesian migrant workers’ access to justice', presented at Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate of the Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Legal Entities Overseas – Annual National Coordination Meeting, Jakarta, 21 October 2015 - 21 October 2015
    Reports | 2014
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S; Sijapati B, 2014, Policy Brief: A Risky Business Accountability of Manpower Agencies in Nepal
    Other | 2014
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S; Sijapati B, 2014, Policy Brief: Labor Migration Agents in Nepal: Regulation, Accountability and Alternatives,
    Other | 2014
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S; Sijapati B, 2014, Policy Brief: Overseas Assistance for Nepali Migrant Workers Seeking Justice Abroad,
    Other | 2014
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S; Sijapati B, 2014, Policy Brief: The Exploitation-Trafficking Continuum in Labor Migration and the Need for Reform in Nepal,
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'Accountability in Recruitment and Migrant Workers’ Access to Remedies: Looking through the Lens of Recruitment Contracts', presented at Ingram Workshop on Migrant Recruitment in the Asia Pacific Region, UNSW, Sydney, 22 October 2014 - 22 October 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'Migrant Workers' Access to Justice in Indonesia: Proposals for Reform', presented at Empowering Indonesian Women for Poverty Reduction, Jakarta, -
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'Migrant workers’ access to justice in South and South East Asia', presented at Workshop onForced Migration and Human Rights Protection in the Asia Pacific Region: Mobilising Opportunities, Melbourne, 08 August 2014 - 08 August 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'Opening address', presented at Ingram Symposium on Governance of Labour Migration in the Asia Pacific Region, UNSW, Sydney, 21 October 2014 - 21 October 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'Q&A with leading experts on approaches to the regulation of recruitment and labour and criminal justice responses', presented at International Labour Organization and UN Office on Drugs and Crime Workshop - Regulating Recruitment: Labour and Criminal Justice Responses in Preventing Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Exploitation, Bangkok, 18 November 2014 - 19 November 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'Rights-Based Governance of Labour Migration: The View from Countries of Origin', presented at UNESCO Symposium on Human Mobility, Diversity and Justice, Deakin University, Melbourne, 10 November 2014 - 10 November 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'Roundtable Discussion - Labour Migration', presented at Development and the Private Sector, Canberra, 23 October 2014 - 23 October 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Farbenblum B, 2014, 'UNSW Human Rights Clinic: Teaching Reflective Human Rights Lawyering', presented at Australian Human Rights Teachers Workshop, Melbourne, -
    Other | 2014
    Nolan J; Farbenblum B, 2014, Is the World Cup Worth Dying For?,
    Reports | 2013
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S, 2013, Creating a Stronger Migrant Labour Framework for the Next Decade: A Policy Brief for the Indonesian Parliament
    Reports | 2013
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S, 2013, Improvement and Expansion of Migrant Worker Mediation Services: A Policy Brief for the Indonesian National Agency for the Placement and Protection of Migrant Workers
    Reports | 2013
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S, 2013, Justice for Indonesia’s Millions of Migrant Workers: A Policy Brief for the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration
    Reports | 2013
    Farbenblum B; Taylor-Nicholson E; Paoletti S, 2013, Strengthening Embassy Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers: A Policy Brief for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    Conference Presentations | 2012
    Farbenblum B, 2012, 'Invited Oral Evidence to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs' Inquiry into Detention of Indonesian Minors in Australia, on international human rights law implications of the Bill', presented at Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs' Inquiry into Detention of Indonesian Minors in Australia, 24 August 2012 - 24 August 2012
    Other | 2012
    Farbenblum B, 2012, Submission No 11 to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into Detention of Indonesian Minors in Australia, Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs,
    Reports | 2012
    Farbenblum B, 2012, Submission No 3 to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Removal of Mandatory Minimum Penalties) Bill 2012, Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
    Conference Presentations | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, 'Invited Oral Evidence to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs' Inquiry into the Crimes Amendment (Fairness for Minors) Bill 2011, on international law implications of the Bill', presented at Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs' Inquiry into the Crimes Amendment (Fairness for Minors) Bill 2011, 16 March 2011 - 16 March 2011
    Conference Presentations | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, 'Invited Oral Evidence to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs' Inquiry into the Deterring People Smuggling Bill 2011, on international law implications of the Bill', presented at Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs' Inquiry into the Deterring People Smuggling Bill 2011, 11 November 2011 - 11 November 2011
    Conference Presentations | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, '‘Australian Interception of Asylum Seekers in Asia: Opportunities and Obstacles for Public Interest Lawyers Looking Beyond Australia’s Border', presented at Public Interest Law – Opportunities and Obstacles conference, Melbourne Law School, 27 September 2011 - 27 September 2011
    Conference Presentations | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, '‘International Dimensions in Clinical Legal Education: Opportunities and Challenges for Australian Clinics', presented at Australian national conference on clinical and experiential learning, UNSW, Sydney, 07 September 2011 - 07 September 2011
    Other | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, Smuggling Prosecutions: Unfair and Costly,
    Other | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, Submission No 15 to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the Deterring People Smuggling Bill 2011, Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs,
    Other | 2011
    Farbenblum B, 2011, Submission No 4 to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the Crimes Amendment (Fairness for Minors) Bill 2011, Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs,
    Other | 2010
    Farbenblum B; McAdam J, 2010, Submission 23 to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the Anti-People Smuggling and Other Measures Bill 2010, Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs,
    Other | 2010
    Farbenblum B, 2010, Afghan and Sri Lankan Asylum Seekers in Limbo: Setting a Poor Regional Example,
    Other | 2010
    Farbenblum B, 2010, Australia’s Role in the Interception and Detention of Asylum Seekers in Asia: Advocating for Transparency and Accountability,
    Reports | 2009
    Farbenblum B; Jansyn J, 2009, Crossing the Line: Damaging Immigration Enforcement Practices by New Jersey Police Following Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2007-3, The Center for Social Justice, Seton Hall School of Law
    Other | 2009
    Farbenblum B, 2009, Supreme Court of the United States, 2009 - Brief ofAmici CuriaeHuman Rights and Religious Organizations, Al-Marri v. Spagone,
    Other | 2008
    Farbenblum B, 2008, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, 2008 - Brief ofAmici CuriaeScholars of International Humanitarian Law, Saleh v. Titan; Ibrahim v. Titan,
    Other | 2008
    Farbenblum B, 2008, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2008 - Brief ofAmici CuriaeScholars of International Human Rights Law, Khouzam v. Chertoff,
    Other | 2008
    Farbenblum B, 2008, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 2008 - Brief ofAmici CuriaeNew Jersey Institute for Social Justiceet al., Delrio-Mocci v. Connolly Properties,
    Other | 2006
    Farbenblum B, 2006, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2006- Brief ofAmici CuriaeHarvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watchet al.,Yusupov v. Attorney General,
    Preprints |
    Berg L; Farbenblum B, As if We Weren't Humans: The Abandonment of Temporary Migrants in Australia during COVID-19,
    Preprints |
    Berg L; Farbenblum B, Living Precariously: Understanding International Students' Housing Experiences in Australia,
    Preprints |
    Berg L; Farbenblum B, Wage Theft in Australia: Findings of the National Temporary Migrant Work Survey,
    Preprints |
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 'We Might not Be Citizens but We Are Still People': Australia’s Disregard for the Human Rights of International Students during COVID-19, ,
    Preprints |
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, International Students and Wage Theft in Australia,
    Preprints |
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, Migrant Workerss Access to Remedy for Exploitation in Australia: The Role of the National Fair Work Ombudsman,
    Preprints |
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, Migrant Workers’ Access to Justice for Wage Theft: A Global Study of Promising Initiatives,
    Preprints |
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, Wage Theft in Silence: Why Migrant Workers Do Not Recover Their Unpaid Wages in Australia,
    Preprints |
    Farbenblum B; Nawaz M; Barton C; Djasmeini J; Farrell H; Meikle P; Melrose L; Ortner J; Santhukumar M; Wang WP, No Place Like Home: Addressing Exploitation of International Students in Sydney's Housing Market,
    Preprints |
    Yu A; Lo A; Clarke R; Farbenblum B; Joyce D; De Leeuw M; Bennett Moses L; Manwaring K; Nolan J; Zalnieriute M, Response to Issues Paper on Human Rights and Technology,
  • Media | 2020
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2020, ‘Garbage’ and ‘cash cows’: temporary migrants describe anguish of exclusion and racism during COVID-19, ,
    Media | 2020
    Farbenblum B; Berg L, 2020, ‘I will never come to Australia again’: new research reveals the suffering of temporary migrants during the COVID-19 crisis, ,

Information For Impact: Enabling Education Providers To Address Exploitation Of International Students In Accommodation And At Work (2018)(with L Berg), StudyNSW Partner Project Grant Scheme

Wage Theft in Australia (2017) (with L Berg), UNSW Law Research Support Program Grants Scheme

Transformative Technology for Migrant Workers (2017-18) (with L Berg), Open Society Foundations

Research on working conditions of UNSW international students (2016-17) (with L Berg), UNSW Grand Challenge on Migration

Research in relation to the Fair Work Ombudsman's International Students Engagement Strategy (2016) (with J Howe, A Reilly, L Berg, A Gamlen and G Tan), Fair Work Ombudsman

Migrant Workers' Access to Justice in Australia: An Empirical Assessment (2015) (with L Berg), UNSW Law Faculty Research Grants Program & UTS Law Faculty Research Grant

Open Society Foundations International Migration Initiative Fellowship (2014)

Regulation of the Labour Migration Recruitment Industry: A Human Rights Based Approach (2014) (with J Nolan), UNSW Law Faculty Research Grants Program

Asia-Middle East Migration Corridor Transnational Access to Justice Project - Grant 4 (2013), Open Society Foundations

Asia-Middle East Migration Corridor Transnational Access to Justice Project - Grant 3 (2012), Open Society Foundations

Asia-Middle East Migration Corridor Transnational Access to Justice Project - Grant 2 (2012), Open Society Foundations

Asia-Middle East Migration Corridor Transnational Access to Justice Project - Grant 1 (2011), Open Society Foundations

Migrant Workers' Access to Justice in Indonesia (2011), Tifa Foundation

Asia Human Rights Clinics Project (2010), University of New South Wales Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) Contestable Funding Scheme

UNSW Law Faculty Award for Impact (2018)

Open Society Foundations International Migration Initiative Fellowship (2014)

New York University Global Public Interest Law Scholar(2003)

Lionel Murphy Scholarship (2003)

UNSW Alumni Graduand Award (2001)