Kiwi denied job with NZ Defence Force because she was born in Iraq

The woman was refused a job with the New Zealand Defence Force because she was born in Iraq. Photo / NZDF via Flickr/CC (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

A woman who came to New Zealand as a child, when her family fled war in the Middle East, has been refused a job with the New Zealand Defence Force because she was born in Iraq.

Warda Jawad, 25, applied for a job as an army psychologist after hearing recruiters talk about careers in the Defence Force. But was told she would not pass a security clearance, despite earlier being told she was perfect for the role, she told Radio New Zealand.

Born in Basra, Iraq, Ms Jawad and her family escaped the country in the wake of the Gulf War in 1993, when she was aged three.

Ms Jawad, a masters student of psychology at Massey University, who also works as a counsellor, told Radio New Zealand she went through a lengthy application process - during which she went through rigorous training to meet fitness requirements, and laser eye surgery to meet medical requirements.

"She [the recruiter] said, 'Hey look, the news isn't good, basically your application has been rejected, given your place of birth and being away for extended periods of time from New Zealand, you weren't able to pass a security clearance'."

Ms Jawad complained to the Human Rights Commission, which tried to set up a mediation meeting, but the NZDF refused to attend. It cited Section 25 of the Human Rights Act, Radio New Zealand reported, which says a person can be denied employment based on their place of origin where national security is an issue.

Ms Jawad emailed the recruiter again a few days after the rejection phone call, asking for details about what the security review had concluded about her. However, she was told a security review had not been carried out.

The response, sent in August, also said the NZDF had reconsidered its stance and had decided she did meet the criteria and her application would proceed, she told Radio New Zealand. She has not heard anything since, she said.

In a statement to Radio New Zealand, the NZDF said: "All NZDF psychologists are commissioned officers, and although Warda Jawad was initially considered to be outside the NZDF eligibility criteria for the security clearance required to enter as a psychologist, this decision was subsequently reviewed."

It would make contact with Ms Jawad as soon as possible, it said.