Golriz & mum Maryam 'WHY WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP'

Since fleeing from Iran, the pair have fought for the rights of women there

- Kasia Jillings

It’s been 33 years since Green MP Golriz Ghahraman first arrived in New Zealand as a nine-year-old seeking asylum with her parents.  

A lot has happened since then, including a master’s degree from Oxford, 12 years working as a human rights lawyer in Africa, The Hague and Cambodia, and Golriz being the first refugee in Aotearoa to be elected to Parliament.  

But back in her homeland of Iran, women and girls are still facing severe restrictions to their quality of life, and increasing safety threats.

In September last year, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being taken into custody by the “morality police” for donning skinny jeans and wearing her hijab incorrectly.  

Nationwide protests sparked international attention and as brave Iranians continue to risk their lives protesting, Golriz and her mum Maryam Ghafoori sat down to talk to the Weekly.

“The first thing I do every morning is read the news in Iran and I’ve cried every day since learning about Mahsa,” shares Maryam, 67. “There’s so much bloodshed and killing. It’s really dangerous.”

For Golriz, action was the antidote as her thoughts instantly turned to how she could use her influence as an MP, and the Party’s foreign affairs and human rights spokesperson, to help.

“My immediate reaction was, ‘What can I do?’ It felt different than protests in the past. Just their courage. I can’t really express how exhilarating it is to see young women on the streets without their hijab,” shares Golriz, 42, who’s been grateful for support from fellow Kiwis.