PGR is leading in inclusive transport and human rights

Maral Nosratzadeh, a Postgraduate Researcher and Teaching Assistant at the University of Leeds School of Law, has been recognised for advancing accessibility and human rights through her recent work.

The School of Law is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of Maral Nosratzadeh, a Postgraduate Researcher and Teaching Assistant, whose dedication to advancing accessibility and human rights has garnered national recognition.

Appointed to the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)

In October 2024, Maral was appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP, as a member of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

Over the next three years, Maral will provide expert advice to the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) on the transportation needs of disabled people. Her work focuses on shaping inclusive transport policies, research proposals, and strategies to ensure public transport becomes more accessible and passenger focused. She says:

I am absolutely delighted to be appointed as a member of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee. This role allows me to bring together my lived experience as a disabled individual and my academic interest as a disability rights scholar, to collaborate with others, providing consultations, developing new policies and raising awareness about accessibility challenges and transport needs of disabled people, with the hope of advancing inclusive transportation for everyone regardless of their disability.

Maral’s role within DPTAC also includes participation in two critical working groups:

• The Research and Evidence Working Group: Collaborating with the DfT and other stakeholders to identify and address gaps in data related to disabled individuals' use of transport.
• The Local Transport Working Group: Advising on accessibility policies for buses, coaches, taxis, and private hire vehicles.

Through these initiatives, Maral aims to make public transportation more inclusive and advocate for meaningful changes that enhance mobility and independence for disabled individuals.

First academic blog published on the SLSA Blog

Maral’s academic contributions extend beyond transportation. In November 2024, she published her first academic blog post titled ‘Does Right to Life Equate to Life with Dignity?’ on the Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) blog. Reflecting on this achievement, Maral expresses:

I am very excited to have published my first academic article, particularly as it is on the importance of the fundamental right to life with dignity. My long-standing passion for comparative and international human rights has inspired me to write  on this timely topic.

In this thought-provoking piece, Maral examines the interplay between the right to life and the concept of living with dignity within international human rights law. Using the right to adequate housing as a case study, she critiques the ways courts across jurisdictions have expanded the interpretation of the right to life to include socio-economic rights. Her analysis raises important questions about the role of dignity as a mediating concept and its implications for state obligations.

You can read her full blog post here.

To explore more of the impactful research happening at the School of Law, click here.