Tirana Hassan
Distinguished Alumni Awards recipient 2024
Bachelor of Laws 2002
Tirana Hassan is the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, a leading international human rights organisation. Her extensive experience and commitment to human rights and humanitarian work have made her a leading voice in the global fight for justice.
While studying for her Bachelor of Laws (2002) Tirana joined a group of lawyers from Adelaide to advocate against mandatory detention policies and deliver important legal services to over a thousand refugees detained at the Woomera Detention Centre.
Reflecting on that time, Tirana witnessed first-hand the importance of human rights advocacy. “I learned a lot and I was exposed to the consequences of war,” she says.
Tirana subsequently spent more than two decades in the field, leading critical investigations into some of the world’s most challenging crises, from conflict zones to humanitarian disasters. Before assuming her current role, she served as the Chief Programs Officer at Human Rights Watch, where she guided the organisation’s global research and advocacy efforts across more than 100 countries.
“When I think about the legacy that I hope I leave behind, it's not one about what I've done in the past. I hope it's about the future I've played a role in creating."
Though she has worked around the world, she says it’s just as valuable to focus on what we can do at home. “You don't have to travel a million miles to make a difference… look around at the change that needs to be made in your community, in your country, and stop there, because it matters,” she says.
Having held significant leadership roles at both Amnesty International and the United Nations, she has spent her career on the frontlines of human rights protection, focusing on justice, accountability, and the defence of the world’s most marginalised populations.
Having made an outstanding and significant impact throughout her career, Tirana hopes her greatest impact is yet to come. “When I think about the legacy that I hope I leave behind, it's not one about what I've done in the past. I hope it's about the future I've played a role in creating.”