Ernest Ako

Dr Ernest Yaw Ako is a Lecturer in Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Cape Coast (Ghana), a Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana, and a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholar of human rights. He has degrees from the University of Pretoria, the University of Ghana, Kwane Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and a Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard University. Ernest is a former Associate Editor at the South African Journal on Human Rights, a former legal writing consultant at Wits Law School, and a reviewer for the African Human Rights Law Journal. Ernest recently published a book chapter in Queer lawfare in Africa (2022) the African Human Rights Yearbook (2020) and the Oxford Handbook of Foreign Relations Law (2019). He has won scholarships and awards from DAAD, the institute of Human Studies at George Mason University in the USA, and postgraduate merit awards from Wits University and the University of Pretoria.

Dr Ako’s research and teaching interests are in legal research, human rights, criminal justice, and sexual minority rights. He is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, the International Law Association, the Project Management Institute, USA, and the University Teachers Association of Ghana. He researches Africa through empirical legal research, practice, and teaching to positively impact the rights of marginalised persons in society.