Andrew Byrnes is Emeritus Professor of International Law and Human Rights at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, and an associate of both the Australian Human Rights Institute and the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute. His research focuses on international human rights law, with particular expertise in the human rights of older persons, gender equality, disability rights and economic and social rights.

He has contributed extensively to international human rights standard-setting, including work related to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing. He has also advised the United Nations and other international and regional organisations on human rights issues and directs research examining the adequacy of international and national protection of the rights of older persons.