Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Surya Deva is a Professor at the Macquarie Law School and Director of the Centre for Environmental Law and B&HR Access to Justice Lab at Macquarie University. He is also the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development. Deva is an internationally recognised scholar in the field of business and human rights. He served as a member of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (2016-22) and a Co-Director of the Teaching Business and Human Rights Forum (2023-24). Deva has advised UN agencies, governments, national human rights institutions, multinational corporations, trade unions and civil society organisations on issues related to his expertise. He researches in the areas of business and human rights, comparative constitutional law, international human rights law, sustainable development, climate change, and gender equality.
Deva has published extensively in areas of his research expertise (see SSRN). His publications have been cited in reports of international organisations, parliamentary bodies, and civil society organisations. Deva's publications have made significant impact on shaping law and policy at national, regional and international levels in the business and human rights field. He also regularly contributes op-eds and blogs on topical issues in diverse outlets (SCMP; The Conversation; Völkerrechtsblog; OpinioJuris; Verfassungsblog; OpenGlobalRights).
He has presented over 100 papers at international conferences and workshops, and delivered keynote address at several conferences such as those organised by the Council of Europe, National Human Rights Commission of Korea, University of Oslo, Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability, LAWASIA, Korea University Human Rights Center, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Deva was invited to speak at the American Society of International Law Annual Meeting (2016) and (2022), one of the most prestigious annual conferences in the field of international law.
Deva has also delivered seminars and guest lectures at institutions such as University College Oxford, Essex Law School, UCL Faculty of Laws, British Academy, British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Cambridge's Lauterpacht Centre of International Law, UCLA School of Law, Duke Law School, University of Oslo, University of Vienna, University of Cape Town, University of Heidelberg, Seoul National University, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Singapore, Renmin University of China Law School, University of Hong Kong, UNSW Faculty Law, and Sydney Law School.
Prior to joining Macquarie, Deva was an Associate Professor at the School of Law of City University of Hong Kong. Previously he taught at the University of Delhi and the National Law Institute University Bhopal. He holds BA (Hons) Political Science, LLB and LLM from the University of Delhi and a PhD from the University of Sydney.
Deva is one of the founding Editors-in-Chief of the Business and Human Rights Journal, and sits on the Editorial/Advisory Board of the Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, the Vienna Journal on International Constitutional Law, the Indian Law Review, and the Australian Journal of Human Rights. He is an elected Vice President of the International Association of Constitutional Law (2022-26).
Deva regularly comments in mainstream media, including ABC TV, Al Jazeera, Channel 4, CNN Digital, The New York Times, The Guardian, Reuters, Financial Times, The Atlantic, Le Temps, South China Moring Post, The Huffington Post, India Today, and RTHK Radio 3.
Research interests
Business and human rights
Sustainable development
Climate change
Comparative constitutional law
Gender equality
Research student supervision
Business and human rights
Corporate regulation and accountability
Sustainable development
Climate change
International human rights law
Comparative constitutional law
Freedoms and democracy in Hong Kong
Teaching
LAWS8500 Business and Human Rights
LAWS5078 PACE: B&HR Access to Justice Lab
LAWS5036 Modern Corporate Governance
LAWS2400 / LAWS8040 Torts
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Sydney Law School
Award Date: 2 Oct 2007
LLM, University of Delhi
Award Date: 14 Mar 1999
LLB, University of Delhi
Award Date: 13 Apr 1996
External positions
Chair, Coordination Committee of UN Special Procedures
10 Dec 2024 → …
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development
1 May 2023 → …
Vice President, International Association of Constitutional Law
7 Dec 2022 → …
Adjunct Professor, City University of Hong Kong
1 Oct 2021 → 30 Sept 2025
Visiting Professor , Royal University of Law and Economics, Cambodia
1 Jul 2021 → 30 Jun 2025
Core Advisory Group on Business and Human Rights, National Human Rights Commission of India
Feb 2021 → 30 Apr 2022
Member, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
1 May 2016 → 30 Apr 2022
Editor-in-Chief, Business and Human Rights Journal
1 Dec 2014 → …
Elected Member, Executive Committee, International Association of Constitutional Law
2014 → 5 Dec 2022
Associate Professor / Assistant Professor, City University of Hong Kong
8 Aug 2005 → 31 Aug 2021
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 8 Finished
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Access to Justice Lab on Business and Human Rights
Deva, S., Harris, H., Ghezelbash, D., Willis, S., Taylor, M., Nolan, J., Sinclair, A. & Poonjatt, J. J.
13/10/22 → 30/06/23
Project: Research
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Capacity Building and Awareness Raising on Business and Human Rights
1/09/22 → 30/11/22
Project: Consultancy
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Sustainable Investment Agreements: The Case of India
Deva, S., Alam, S. & Ranjan, P.
10/08/22 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Some of Australia's largest companies are failing to 'know and show' their respect for human rights
Birchall, D., Birchall, E. & Deva, S., 25 Feb 2025, The Conversation.Research output: Contribution to Newspaper/Magazine/Website › Article
Open AccessFile15 Downloads (Pure) -
A commentary on ITLOS' Advisory Opinion on Climate Change
Yiallourides, C. & Deva, S., 24 May 2024, BIICL Blog.Research output: Contribution to Newspaper/Magazine/Website › Article
Open Access -
A global south perspective on labour rights and supply chains for a post-growth world
Deva, S. & Anand, P., 2024, Labour law utopias: post-growth and post-productive work approaches. Bueno, N., ter Haar, B. & Zekić, N. (eds.). Oxford University Press, p. 90-115 26 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Business, human rights & development: a case for course correction in 2024 & beyond
Deva, S., 1 Jan 2024, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre Blog.Research output: Contribution to Newspaper/Magazine/Website › Website contribution
Open Access -
Business and human rights: from "tokenism" to "centring" rights and rights-holders
Deva, S. & Kaur, H., 2024, Righting the economy: towards a people's recovery from economic and environmental crisis. Leite, M. & Kohonen, M. (eds.). Newcastle upon Tyne: Agenda Publishing, p. 43-55 13 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
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The Role of Business in Conducting Responsible International Trade
Surya Deva (Speaker)
7 Sept 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Corporate climate actions for a just transition
Surya Deva (Speaker)
8 Jun 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Climate Litigation in Comparative Contexts - Cases Against Private Actors
Surya Deva (Speaker)
12 May 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Talks on rebalancing democracy and capitalism - Mandatory human rights due diligence laws in Europe: A mirage for rightsholders?
Surya Deva (Speaker)
27 Apr 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Role of Business in Realising the SDGs
Surya Deva (Speaker)
24 Aug 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Press/Media
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Indian companies are bringing one of the world’s most toxic industries to Africa. People are getting sick.
4/12/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Wall Street accused of whitewashing China crackdown in Hong Kong
31/10/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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China promised Hong Kong its freedoms, but 25 years later the deal is fraying
1/07/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Hong Kong chief executive election 2022: ‘John Lee’s campaign team mull cash donations to guard against US sanctions’
21/04/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment