From Leeds to leadership: Isaac Lartey Annan’s journey in human rights
School of Law PhD graduate Isaac Lartey Annan shares how his Leeds education shaped his influential role in advancing human rights and governance in Ghana’s Parliament.
When Isaac Lartey Annan embarked on his PhD journey at the University of Leeds, he wasn’t just pursuing an academic title – he was setting out to tackle some of the most pressing human rights challenges facing developing nations like Ghana, his home country.
Motivated by the deep inequalities and systemic exclusion he had witnessed at home, Isaac’s research and career have since become a powerful force for promoting justice and good governance at the highest levels of Ghana’s Parliament.
Isaac chose Leeds for its internationally renowned faculty and courses that deepen understanding of “the nexus between international human rights law and global governance.” He credits his PhD supervisor, esteemed Professor Surya Subedi, for providing “profound knowledge” and “unwavering guidance that led to a stress-free completion” of his studies.
Championing Human Rights in Ghana’s Parliament
As Director and Advisor in Human Rights at Ghana’s Parliament, Isaac plays a vital role in holding the government accountable for the human rights treaties the country has ratified. He explains:
I advise the Speaker of Parliament and the Clerk to Parliament generally on both the national and international mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights.
Isaac also supports Members of Parliament serving on the newly established Committee on Human Rights, which started in January 2024. His work involves close collaboration with the Attorney-General’s Office, Ministry of Justice, and the National Human Rights Institution, CHRAJ, to monitor rights protections and the implementation of recommendations from regional and international bodies like the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review.
A career built on impact and expertise
Since completing his PhD, Isaac’s career milestones include leadership roles such as Director of Human Rights at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), a fellowship at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, and consultancy work for major international organisations including UNDP, DANIDA, and GIZ. He continues to contribute as a resource person at global workshops on human rights and governance.
To current law students wanting to follow a similar path, Isaac says:
Apart from their dedication to excel academically, they should strive to deepen their knowledge in the theory and practice of law, in this context, international human rights law, by building the necessary networks both at the academic level and in industry, particularly public service, in order to withstand the challenges as well as take advantage of the vast opportunities working in the public service – shaping and implementing policies for promoting good governance both at the national and international levels.
Inspired by Isaac’s journey? Explore our postgraduate programmes and discover how you can make a global impact on human rights.
