Born: 1981 (Iran)
Biography:
Golriz Ghahraman MP (Persian: گلریز قهرمان; born 1981) is an Iranian-born New Zealand politician, member of Parliament, and author. The former United Nations lawyer was a child asylum seeker and became the first refugee elected to New Zealand’s Parliament. Ghahraman is a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the Green Party.
Early Life and Education
Ghahraman was born in Iran in 1981. Her family lived in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, where her father, an agricultural engineer, worked for the Ministry of Agriculture on the research and development of plant-based alternative fuels. Her mother studied as a child psychologist but was ethically opposed to psychologists having to pledge allegiance to a religion, so she refused to sit the Islamic examinations required for her to practice and never worked as such. Her father was Shia, and her mother was a Kurdish Sunni, though neither parent was religious.
In 1990, following the end of the Iran-Iraq War, nine-year-old Ghahraman and her family left Iran for Malaysia, ostensibly for a holiday. From Malaysia, they booked flights to Fiji, with a stopover in Auckland, where they sought political asylum and were accepted as refugees. Her parents later set up a restaurant and a gift shop in Auckland and did not work in their earlier areas of expertise.
Ghahraman attended Auckland Girls’ Grammar School. She has a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Auckland and a Master of Studies (MSt) degree in International Human Rights Law with Distinction from the University of Oxford.
Professional Life
Ghahraman entered legal practice in New Zealand, working as a junior barrister specializing in criminal defense. She described it as the most frontline human rights area of law you can work in practice in New Zealand; every day you are applying the Bill of Rights Act, and you’re dealing with unlawful detention, searches, and discrimination. Ghahraman worked as a lawyer for the United Nations, serving on both the defense and prosecution teams with the tribunals in Rwanda, Cambodia, and The Hague. She had worked on tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, volunteering as an intern, and was assigned to the defense team. Her work on the defense teams of accused and convicted war criminals such as Radovan Karadžić and Simon Bikindi has caused her controversy, although she has claimed transparency throughout.
Ghahraman returned to New Zealand in 2012 and worked as a barrister, specializing in human rights law and criminal defense. She appeared before the Supreme Court of New Zealand in a case that ultimately led to the police overhauling their rules about undercover operations.
Political Career
Ghahraman’s political career began when she was elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives as a member of the Green Party. She has since become a prominent advocate for human rights, social justice, and environmental issues. Ghahraman has been involved in various legislative efforts to promote equality, protect human rights, and combat climate change.
As a politician, Ghahraman has made significant contributions to New Zealand’s political landscape, especially as the first refugee elected to Parliament. She has used her platform to raise awareness about the struggles faced by refugees and advocate for fair and compassionate refugee policies. Ghahraman has also been a strong voice for gender equality and has actively worked towards dismantling systemic barriers that limit the rights and opportunities of women.