Rez Gardi is the founder of “Empower”, a youth-led charity organization which addresses the underrepresentation of refugees in higher education. She also co-founded the Global Youth Advisory Council to ensure refugee youth are meaningfully involved in decision-making within the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. In 2017, Gardi was recognized with the Young New Zealander of the Year award for her services to human rights. Recently graduating with a master of law degree from Harvard Law School, Gardi wants to broaden her career goals and meet global leaders to learn about the different initiatives she can help implement around the globe.
“I learnt about injustice and the denial of human rights long before I knew what those concepts meant. This instilled in me the importance of standing up for what is right, even when your life is on the line. As the daughter of human rights activists, an engrained passion for equality and justice inspired me to pursue a career in law. I wanted to understand the power of law to create positive change.”