Zaki Haidari is a 2020 Australian Human Rights Commission Human Rights Hero, an Ambassador for leading refugee legal centre Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS), and works at Amnesty International Australia as a Refugee Rights Campaigner. Zaki is also a respected commentator in the media on refugee rights.
Zaki is himself a refugee. He fled Afghanistan after being targeted to be killed by Taliban. He survived a terrifying boat journey and arrived in Australia seeking protection in 2012.
Since then, despite social, legal and financial obstacles, he has thrived. First, he learnt English, then he transformed into a human rights advocate, courageously sharing his experience with schools and the wider community, speaking out about the cruel regime of permanent temporariness faced by people like him who came to Australia by sea seeking safety.