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Areas of expertise: Human rights, disability rights, women’s rights and gender equality, international development, social justice, public policy
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1072-569X
Email: Dina.Afrianty@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU Melbourne Campus
Dr Dina Afrianty is an Indonesian scholar who specialises in human rights, women's rights, disability rights, public policy, gender and Islam. Prior to moving to Australia in 2014 she was a senior lecturer and Head of Department at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta. She is the founder of the Australia-Indonesia Disability Research and Advocacy Network (AIDRAN) which is an interdisciplinary forum that undertakes innovative training and research activities. Dina has a strong record of grant funding, particularly through international development programs funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Dina teaches Human Rights and Business Regulation, and Australian Human Rights Law and Policy. She also leads the law school’s participation in the New Colombo Plan, an in-country unit that immerses students in an in-depth study of Indonesian law, culture and society.
Dina's current research focuses on women's rights, disability rights awareness and public policy reform. Her research and training addresses the capacity of officials and administrators to implement internationally recognised human rights standards with respect to persons with a disability. Dina has implemented projects with this focus in the education, health and environment sectors and she has extensive networks with regional civil society, academic and government partners across Indonesia. She also has extensive experience in collaborating with Indonesian legal aid and advocacy organisations.
Dina has contributed as an expert to UNESCO Right to Education Global Project in 2022 and expert member for the ASEAN-EUROPE Foundation to work on developing Outlook 2030: Inclusive and Diverse Education in Asia and Europe. She has a strong record of academic publication.
Book:
Book chapters:
Afrianty, D. (2023). “Disability Rights and Inclusive Education in Islamic Tertiary Education,” in Pausacker, H., Makruf, Jamhari, & Lindsey, Timothy. (2023). Islam, education and radicalism in Indonesia: Instructing piety. Routledge. 306-320. ISBN. 9781003269229
Afrianty, D. (2022). “Gender, faith and sexual violence in Indonesia,” in Routledge Handbook of Islam in Southeast Asia, edited by Aljunied, S.M. Routledge. 176-189.
Mann, T., and Afrianty, D. (2020). “Aceh’s Islamic Criminal Code: Formalising discrimination,” in Crime and Punishment in Indonesia, edited by Tim Lindsey and Helen Pausacker. Routledge. 507-534.
Afrianty, D. (2019). “Disability Inclusion in Indonesia: the Role of Islamic Schools and Universities in Inclusive Education Reform,” in Contentious Belonging: the Place of Minorities in Indonesia, edited by Greg Fealy and Ronit Ricci. Singapore: ISEAS. 95-112.
Afrianty, D. (2020). “The role of Disabled People Organisations in promoting legal reform and awareness of the rights of PWDs in Indonesia,” in Recognising Rights in Different Cultural Contexts: the UNCRPD, edited by Kelly Johnson and Emily Kakoullis. Palgrave Macmillan.
Afrianty, D. (2018). “Women’s Responses to the implementation of Islamic Law in Aceh,” in Routledge Handbook of Indonesia, edited by Robert Hefner. Routledge.
Afrianty, D. (2016). “Women’s Agency, Identity and the Implementation of Islamic Law in Aceh,” in Islam and the Limits of the State: Reconfiguration of Rituals, Doctrine, Community and Authority in Contemporary Aceh, edited by Michael Feener, David Kloos and Annemarie Samuels, Leiden: Brill.
Afrianty, D. (2016). “Implementing Perda Syariat in Aceh and West Sumatra,” in Freedom of Religion, Law and Intolerance in Indonesia, edited by Tim Lindsey and Helen Pausacker. United Kingdom: Routledge. 350-367.
Hefner, R., Azyumardi, A., Afrianty, D. (2007) “Pesantren and Madrasa: Muslim Schools and National Ideals in Indonesia,” in Schooling Islam: the Culture and Politics of Modern Muslim Education, edited by Robert Hefner and Muhammad Qasim Zaman (eds), Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Afrianty, Dina and Fenwick, Stewart, Disability, Religion and Citizenship in Indonesia (March 20, 2025). Australian Journal of Asian Law, Vol. 26, No. 1, Article 04: 23-33, 2024, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5190595
Afrianty, Dina and Wehbe, Ayah, Disability and Law in Asia Special Issue: Introduction (March 20, 2025). Australian Journal of Asian Law, Vol. 26, No. 1, Article 01: 5-19, 2025, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5190601
Diana, G. N., Pratiwi, C. S., & Afrianty, D. (2025). Differences in Spiritual Coping Strategies of Mothers with Autism Children in Developed and Developing Countries: a Qualitative Systematic Review. Jurnal Berita Ilmu Keperawatan, 18(1), 138–150. https://doi.org/10.23917/bik.v18i1.7889
Afrianty, D. (2020). “Rising public piety and the status of women in Indonesia two decades after reformasi.” TRaNS : Trans-Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia,8(1): 65-80.
Afrianty, D. (2019). “Women and Islam in Contemporary Indonesia.” Women in Islam Journal, Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SHIA). https://womeninislamjournal.com/
Afrianty, D. (2018). “Agents for Change: Local women’s NGOs and domestic violence in Indonesia.” Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities in Southeast Asia: Bijdragen tot de Tall-en Volkenkunde (BKI), Brill, 174 (1): 1-23.
Non-traditional Research Outputs
Afrianty, D. (2024a, December 2). Will a dedicated human rights ministry improve disability advocacy in Indonesia? Indonesia at Melbourne. https://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/will-a-dedicated-human-rights-ministry-improve-disability-advocacy-in-indonesia/
Afrianty, D. (2024b, December 3). Mendorong penelitian inklusif: Penyandang disabilitas perlu terlibat aktif, bukan hanya sebagai objek. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/mendorong-penelitian-inklusif-penyandang-disabilitas-perlu-terlibat-aktif-bukan-hanya-sebagai-objek-242911
Afrianty, D., Kusuma, E., & Pancawati, J. (2024). Dina Afrianty, Elo Kusuma, Janisa Pascawati, Author at Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre. https://devpolicy.org/author/dina-afrianty/
Afrianty, D., Lintangsari, A., & Arawindha, U. (2024, December 17). Evaluating Disability Research and Advocacy Indonesia. Proceedings of the 3rd AIDRAN Biennial Conference: International Conference on Disability Rights 2023. AIDRAN Biennial Conference:, Yogyakarta.
Afrianty, D. 2023. “Increasing access to higher education for people with disabilities in Indonesia.” The right to higher education for people with disabilities: Briefing note compendium. UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Carribeans. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000387672?posInSet=6&queryId=N-86863c15-a301-40b7-a24b-0a69d4b966bc
Afrianty, D, et al. “Evaluating Disability Research and Advocacy Indonesia.” Proceedings of the 3rd AIDRAN Biennial Conference: International Conference on Disability Rights 2023, European Union Digital Library, 17 Dec. 2024.
Exploring Restorative Justice Framework to Build Climate Resilience among Marginalised Groups in Indonesia. (2023-2024). Australia and Indonesia, funded by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia. Total grant of $350,000. (HERDC Category 1). Chief Investigator.
Shining a light on unheard voices of disabled researchers: Addressing barriers and fostering disability inclusion in the United Kingdom and Indonesia. (2025-2026) in collaboration with Nottingham University and Gadjah Mada University (UGM), funded by The British Council.
New Colombo Plan, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 2024-2025. $40.000.
Developing and maintaining Australia-Indonesia Disability Research and Advocacy Network (AIDRAN) 2018-2022. Funded by Knowledge Sector Initiative, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia. Total grant of $363,629.27.
Develop Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion Toolkit (2022). INKLUSI, Australia-Indonesia Partnership Towards an Inclusive Society Program of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Develop Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Toolkit. Total Grant of $87,720. (HERDC Category 3).
Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII) DFAT, “Fostering health equity approaches in Indonesia,” for a total grant of $35,000. (HERDC Category 2). Chief Investigator. 2021
Indonesia Project Australian National University, “Researching the impact of COVID-19 Pandemic to students with disabilities in higher education,” for a total grant of $8,000. Partner Investigator. 2021.
Australia-Indonesia School Partnership Program (BRIDGE), Asia Education Foundation, Promoting disability inclusion to Indonesian educators, for a total grant of $11,885. Chief Investigator. 2021
Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII), DFAT, “Addressing Policy Gaps in Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities”, for a total grant of $27,500. (HERDC Category 2). Chief Investigator. 2020
Australia Awards Indonesia Alumni Grant Scheme, “Move it 2020: Innovative solutions to unlock access to financial institution for people with disability in Eastern Indonesia.” $15,000. Collaborator. 2020
Social Research Assistance Grant, La Trobe University, a total grant of $3,106. Chief Investigator. 2020
Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII), DFAT, “Enhancing Advocacy Skills for Indonesia Young Disability Advocates Project,” for a total grant of $25,000. (HERDC Category 2). Chief Investigator. 2019
Brawijaya University to support “International Conference on Disability Inclusion in Asia”, a total funding of $20,000, as Convener. 2019
La Trobe Asia Research Grant, “Disability Law and Policy Reform in Indonesia”, for a total grant of $5,000, as Chief Investigator. 2019
Research Excellence Awards, Law School, La Trobe University (2021)
Adjunct research fellow, La Trobe Law School, La Trobe University
Expert member, UNESCO Right to Education Global Project (2022)
Expert member, ASEAN-Europe Foundation, (2021-2022)
Research Fellow, Center for the Study of Social Difference; Gender, Religion and Law in Muslim Societies. Columbia University. 2013 – now
Associate, Center for Indonesian Law, Islam, and Society (CILIS). The University of Melbourne. 2010-now.
Founder. Australia-Indonesia Disability Research and Advocacy Network (AIDRAN).
Member, Community of Law and Justice Development Community. Australian National University (ANU) and DFAT. 2015-now.
Australian Journal of Asian Law, University of Melbourne, Special edition Editors, Disability and Policy in Asia, 2025, SRRN.
Journal of Policing, Intellegence and Counter Terrorism, University of Macquire, Special edition Journal Editors, (2025), Taylor and Francis.
ISLAMICA, Jurnal Studi Keislaman, https://islamica.uinsa.ac.id/index.php/islamica/about/editorialTeam
Jurnal Pendidikan Ilmu Sosial, Faculty of Social Science Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/jpis/pages/view/Editorial%20Team