Wednesday, December 30, 2009

An Attorney Representing Women

In Iraq, I worked as an attorney representing marginalized groups- mainly women and workers. Women seeking a divorce, custody, or child support, workers seeking compensation for work injuries.
After graduating from the Law School, I joined the Bar Association, and then I went to the courthouse on a daily basis in hopes of landing a client. I didn’t care much about criminal cases or civil litigations. I was passionate about the Family Law. I related a lot to women and their struggle to receive child support or to end an abusive relationship. 

After months, I landed my first case. I was representing a woman seeking child support. The case was a bit challenging because the ex-husband tried to hide his real income. I didn’t have access to a private investigator because there was none.

The husband also hired a highly qualified attorney with many years of experience. But I was motivated to win my first case to establish myself as an attorney.


Sunday, November 15, 2009

Teaching Human Rights under Saddam's Regime.

I think it is time to take you back to the days when I taught at the Baghdad University School of Law; the school I have studied art since 1987 where I earned my B.A., M.A and PhD. However, I started teaching at the Baghdad University School of Law in 2001. I taught International Law, and Constitutional Law. I offered my courses in Arabic and English.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Working in Sadr City


I owe my understanding to the role of environmental policies to my students at the Baghdad University School of Law. Most of my students were from Sadr City. Usually, they looked pale, their clothes were old, and they had a frustrated look in their eyes. They formed their own groups, and they had their own group identity.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

First Things First:My Family


Surviving the attempt was one thing; staying alive was another challenge entirely. “How can I go to work without being killed? How can I continue working on these campaigns?” These were the questions that I asked myself. But, first things first; my family “How can I keep my family safe?”
My concerns regarding my family occupied my every thought. I have a son. At that time, he was eight years old. 

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Just Add Water!

How can there be a connection between safe drinking water and insurgency? Is it possible?


On 24th of August of 2004, I survived a suicide bomb attack in which four of my bodyguards were killed. Mousab Al Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq at that time, claimed full responsibility and called me “the leader of the infidels.” Perhaps he was overestimating my capacity, I thought. After all, I was not working on security issues at all! In fact, I thought I was as far away from dealing with security issues as would be possible for a government minister. At least, that was what I thought.