The Reproductive Justice Hallmark Research Initiative seeks to build a unified national research and advocacy agenda to progress reproductive justice in Australia. Reproductive justice seeks to ensure all people have rights to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children and parent children in safe and healthy environments.
About
The Reproductive Justice Hallmark Research Initiative brings together University of Melbourne researchers and key partner organisations who are tackling aspects of reproductive justice.
Despite some progress in reproductive justice in Australia, significant challenges remain, and there is currently no unified Australian agenda or platform to progress reproductive justice.
The Hallmark Initiative provides the opportunity to:
- Highlight the significant and novel work being undertaken at the University of Melbourne
- Develop a uniquely Australian adaptation of the concept of ‘reproductive justice’ in partnership with the community
- Provide support to emerging researchers
- Seed new research on emerging and pressing issues
- Amplify the impacts of the research in the development of new public policies and law.
What is reproductive justice?
The term “reproductive justice” was coined in the United States in 1994 by twelve black women “to build a politics that will change our lives and inevitably end our oppression.” (Ross, 2017).
This loosely defined movement responded to the limitations of an individually focused reproductive choice approach by marrying it with the principles of social justice. The reproductive justice framework, with its foundations in human rights, social justice, feminist activism and intersectionality inspired this Hallmark Research Initiative.
Despite it being widely accepted that reproductive rights are essential to women’s freedom, health and well-being, reproductive autonomy is under attack in the United States and continues to be constrained in many countries.
In Australia, the challenge of reproductive justice is to ensure that all people have the rights to, and are practically able to, maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, have equitable access to quality assisted reproductive treatment and prenatal screening, and give birth to and parent children in a safe and healthy environment.
Research themes
Our work will be grouped loosely around the following themes:
Defining reproductive justice
The original definition of reproductive justice was developed by black activists in the United States. In this research theme, we aim to adapt this definition so it aligns with the Australian context. We will develop a sociological and ethical analysis and identify the key reproductive justice issues in Australia. We will also explore the socio-political histories that shape the reproductive lives and experiences of people in Australia. We will also engage with key ethical debates to consider the rights and responsibilities of individuals and state actors in relation to reproduction.
Intersectionality and reproduction
Intersectionality is a concept developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the United States that emerged from the experience of black female factory workers (Crenshaw 1989). It is a key concept informing reproductive justice yet is often under-theorised and/or not adapted for other cultures. Mapping the intersecting oppressive forces that impact reproduction in Australia will be a key interest. We will explore the reproductive experiences and challenges to reproductive justice for gender diverse people, the intersection of gender-based and family violence and reproductive health, and institutionalised racism.
Regulating reproduction
Reproduction remains subject to a range of laws, policies, and other forms of regulation. Despite the gradual reform of unethical and unjust laws, challenges remain in the regulation of reproduction and there are many practices that are not consistent with reproductive autonomy. There are still inadequacies in information provision and communication about birth options, and a lack of access to continuity of care in maternity care. There is only emerging recognition of the impact of birth trauma. In addition, there is evidence of ongoing structural reproductive coercion, with specific groups considered “at risk” (especially those of indigenous, rural, migrant and refugee backgrounds) targeted for highly invasive long-acting, reversible contraceptives. In this theme, we will identify the areas of regulation of reproduction most urgently in need of reform.
Reproductive markets
In a capitalist society, reproduction inevitably becomes entwined with market forces. In Australia, abortion and IVF are predominately available in the private sector and religious institutions can and do opt out of providing services. The profit motive can result in marketing of fertility preservation options that prey on social anxieties around fertility. Global markets for surrogacy result in the womb being constructed as a “rentable space” (Kearney 2022). New technology, like non-invasive prenatal testing and preimplantation genetic testing also creates new legal and ethical challenges. This theme will explore the intersection of local and global markets for reproduction.
Our goals and strategies to meet them
Goal one: Build partnerships with relevant communities to ensure the research and advocacy agenda is relevant to their needs
To achieve goal one we will:
- Work with non-government organisations (who support communities to realise their reproductive health and rights and improve access to and quality of reproductive health services) to develop a sustainable model for community engagement with our research and advocacy
- Design and pilot a community engagement model for the Hallmark.
Goal two: Convene and support a new network for emerging researchers in reproductive justice
To achieve goal two we will:
- Establish and support a network for emerging researchers in reproductive justice at the University of Melbourne and partner organisations.
Goal three: Develop an interdisciplinary agenda for reproductive justice in Australia summarised in a position paper to share with decision-makers
To achieve goal three we will:
- Conduct a literature review to synthesise existing knowledge on reproductive justice, paying specific attention to the Australian context
- Host a conference to showcase Australian research and evidence and devise an agenda to guide the Hallmark activity (this will include a research agenda and advocacy plan)
- Disseminate a position paper summarising the reproductive justice agenda for Australia
- Host a public-facing event in collaboration with our community partners for two-way engagement on reproductive justice.
Build new collaborations to tackle pressing research questions using a reproductive justice framework
To achieve goal four we will:
- Offer a round of seed funding for researchers across diverse disciplines
- Apply for external funds to support new interdisciplinary research to maximise the linkages and synergies in the work of steering committee members in this area
- Establish and support a network for emerging researchers in reproductive justice at the University of Melbourne and partner organisations.
People
INITIATIVE CHAIR: Professor Louise Keogh
Professor of Health Sociology, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Professor Keogh is a health sociologist who conducts research into the decriminalisation of abortion, the ethics of conscientious objection to abortion and engages with stakeholders to translate her research for social impact.
ACADEMIC CONVENOR: Dr Bronwen Merner
Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Dr Merner is a health services researcher specialising in qualitative methods and community engagement in research. Her current research focuses on improving the regulation of conscientious objection to abortion.
STEERING COMMITTEE:
Schools represented on the steering committee include Melbourne School of Population and Global Health (MSPGH), Melbourne Medical School (MMS), Melbourne School of Health Sciences (MSHS), Melbourne Law School (MLS) and School of Social Political Sciences (SSPS).
Associate Professor Shawana Andrews (MSHS, MDHS)
Associate Professor Andrews is a social work researcher, who’s areas of interest include Aboriginal mothering practices, family violence and Aboriginal feminisms.
Associate Professor Meghan Bohren (MSPGH, MDHS)
Associate Professor Bohren is a social scientist working in maternal, sexual and reproductive health, primarily with communities disadvantaged by systems of power.
Professor Heather Douglas (MLS)
Professor Douglas has expertise in family violence with a special interest in reproductive coercion. She has also worked for many years on the regulation of abortion.
Professor Beth Gaze (MLS)
Professor Gaze researches equality and discrimination law. She has a background in health and medical law and in abortion law and religious exceptions to discrimination law.
Dr Naomi Holbeach (MMS, MDHS)
Dr Holbeach has dual qualifications in medicine and law and her areas of interest are obstetrics and gynaecology, surgical innovation, clinical education and health law.
Associate Professor Lisa Hui (MMS, MDHS)
Associate Professor Hui is a maternal fetal medicine specialist with research interests in cell-free fetal nucleic acids, prenatal screening and diagnosis.
Dr Jaya Keaney (SSPS, Arts)
Dr Keaney studies how reproduction is shaped by scientific knowledge practices and regimes of race, gender, sexuality, and coloniality. She has interests in LGBTIQ+ family making, reproductive technologies and the science of maternal-fetal effects.
Professor Jenny Morgan (MLS)
Professor Morgan has a long-standing interest in the regulation of abortion and particularly the processes and language of law reform.
Associate Professor Paula O’Brien (MLS)
Associate Professor O’Brien researches in the area of public and global health law, with a focus on the regulation of consumer commodities (such as medicines and medical devices) and access to health care (including reproductive services) for disadvantaged groups.
Associate Professor Michelle Peate (MMS, MDHS)
Associate Professor Peate is a psychosocial researcher who develops evidence-based interventions to empower patients and improve experiences at the intersection of cancer, reproductive health and psychology. She has pioneered work in fertility-related decision aids.
Professor Julian Savulescu (MLS)
Professor Savulescu is a philosopher who researches the ethics of emerging technologies, including new methods of reproduction and enhancement of physical and cognitive performance through drugs or genetic manipulation.
Dr Mridula Shankar (MSPGH, MDHS)
Dr Shankar is a postdoctoral research fellow with research interests that focus on improving understanding of reproductive health behaviours and outcomes, through application of innovative approaches to measurement and study design.
Associate Professor Laura Tarzia (MMS, MDHS)
Associate Professor Tarzia has a background in sociology and her work focuses on the context and dynamics of intimate partner, sexual and reproductive violence.
Associate Professor Michelle Taylor-Sands (MLS)
Associate Professor Taylor-Sands conducts research in health law and bioethics, with a focus on reproductive health and the welfare of the future child. She is also a member of the Victorian Patient Review Panel.
Professor John Tobin (MLS)
Professor Tobin has research interests that cover the broad field of international human rights law but he has a particular interest in children's rights and the right to health.
Professor Jane Tomnay (MMS, MDHS)
Professor Tomnay conducts research focused on improving the sexual and reproductive health of Victorians and increasing access to services for those living in rural areas.
Contact us
To get in touch with the Reproductive Justice Hallmark Initiative team please contact academic convenor Dr Bronwen Merner by email to Bronwen.merner@unimelb.edu.au
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First published on 24 April 2024.
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