Travel and Learning Award for Farhana Khan
Supporting Farhana Khan to travel to Italy to attend two short summer courses to learn about how international human rights obligations can be upheld while balanced with other considerations in migration policy.
Borrin Foundation Travel and Learning Award
Farhana’s plan
Farhana will attend two short courses in Italy, in June and July 2025, which are focused on learning about international migration and the development and implementation of national migration policies which comply with international human rights, humanitarian standards and labour protection policies. The Summer Course on Migration and Human Rights at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute in Rome, Italy focuses on human rights issues affecting migrants. The Migration Summer School organised by the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy is an academic program focused on sociological, legal, economic, anthropological, and political approaches to the study of migration with a global perspective. She will connect with public servants, representatives from the United Nations system, international organisations, non-government and civil society organisations, journalists and policy analysts from around the world. Through her learning and her new relationships, Farhana will deepen her understanding of consideration of international human rights obligations in migration policy and governance development. Farhana aims to share her learnings of global migration challenges and to influence the development of migration policy and governance frameworks with a balance of social, economic, security and human rights considerations in Aotearoa New Zealand.
About Farhana
Farhana has a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Human Genetics) and a Bachelor of Laws from Victoria University of Wellington. She has worked as a legal professional, in regulatory compliance and as an advisor in areas including historic physical and sexual abuse in state care, employment law, refugee and protected person status determination, irregular migration and trafficking in persons in New Zealand. She was appointed to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – International Catholic Migration Commission Deployment Scheme roster of refugee protection experts in June 2022. She was the representative of Aotearoa New Zealand at the United Nations Transnational Organised Crime Working Groups on Smuggling of Migrants and Trafficking in Persons in Vienna, Austria in 2023. She has also worked as a consultant for the International Labour Organisation in Bangladesh in the Improving Working Conditions in the Ready-Made Garment Industry Programme. She has volunteered for organisations such as Amnesty International, women’s refuge organisations and community law centres. She has also served on the board of a charitable trust which supports accessibility to creative opportunities for people who access mental health services. International and humanitarian affairs, human rights and migration have been at the heart of Farhana’s personal and professional journey.
Grant Amount
$10,000 in 2025 to support travel
“This Borrin Foundation award will provide an invaluable learning opportunity in areas of deep and continuing interest to me. It will contribute to my aspirations to develop expertise in global migration and to influence development of migration policy and governance frameworks.”