Ko Ko Aung is an award-winning lawyer and human rights advocate from Myanmar, now living in Australia. He works as a Special Counsel at Albert Arthur Lawyers and is completing a Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law at UNSW.
Forced into exile because of his support for democracy in Myanmar, he dedicates his time to supporting democracy and human rights in Myanmar. This includes providing pro bono legal support to refugees, asylum seekers and their families, advocacy and community education. He provides free legal clinics through his workplace as well as volunteering at HIV/AIDS Legal Clinic, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, etc., mentors at UNSW Law and Justice, and provides migration updates for student groups. Pro bono work comprises 20-30% of his total legal practice.
“Law can be an act of compassion. Every refugee or migrant client carries layers of loss and hope. When we help someone regularize their status or reunite with family, we’re not just navigating bureaucracy—we’re restoring someone’s sense of belonging. That’s what drives me every day.”
Ko Ko received the Law Council of Australia’s John Gibson AM Young Australian Migration Lawyer of the Year Award in 2023, STARTTS’ 2024 NSW Humanitarian Award under the Government and Legal Category and was named among the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 (Migration Law) winners in 2023 and 2025.
Ko Ko’s advocacy focuses both on Australia and Myanmar. He supports all the campaigns and networks associated with Myanmar as they seek action from Australian community and governments to support the restoration of democracy and accountability for human rights abuses in Myanmar. He also supports an increased refugee intake from Myanmar as so many have had to flee the brutal military dictatorship.
Ko Ko joined DTP’s Myanmar Diaspora Human Rights Advocacy Program, a response to the attempted coup in 2021. This program began online during COVID but went on to include F2F sessions in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
Aung Ko Ko describes the training as transformative:
“I’d never experienced a training like that before. It focused a lot on community-based diplomacy—how to engage with politicians and members of parliament, what key points to raise, and how to present them effectively. There were mock sessions and practical exercises that made it very hands-on. We weren’t just listening; we were practicing real advocacy. I apply those skills in my advocacy in writing submissions and policy inputs.”
Ko Ko also said that the DTP training made him part of a wider community of human rights.
“Many of us from that DTP program are still active in our communities, raising our voices and continuing our advocacy work. We also built friendships that have lasted ever since. Looking back, joining that program was one of the best decisions I made.”
Forced into personal exile himself, Ko Ko is using his time to learn and grow and to support others. Looking ahead, Ko Ko envisions a free legal clinic for the Myanmar diaspora covering all legal areas, not just migration. And when democracy in Myanmar is restored, Ko Ko aims to return there to continue contributing to building a democratic and inclusive Myanmar, free of fear and conflict.
Until then, his work helps some of those most in need in Australia, including in refugee communities, contributing to a more inclusive Australian democracy.
