About me
*** THIS PAGE IS BEING UPDATED ***
I am a Palestinian human rights specialist, currently residing in the UK.
I carry out thematic work globally. I have specific expertise in the Middle East and North Africa.
I have been working in the field of human rights initially in Palestine and then at MENA region and international levels for over 35 years, working as an independent human rights consultant for the last 13 years.
What I work on
- My recent work focuses on gender equality, gender justice and women empowerment, including the Women Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda; economic and social rights; and the human rights of older persons. I also have special interest and some expertise in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- I also specialise in the human rights standards and mechanisms of the League of Arab States, including the Arab Charter on Human Rights.
How I work
- I produce human rights-based analyses, research and policy-oriented studies, as well as author guidebooks, manuals, and handbooks that aim at increasing the utilisation of international human rights law and mechanisms in national action.
- I teach human rights and conduct specialised training for participants from various backgrounds.
- I also carry out needs assessment, strategic planning, and evaluations.
- I work in both Arabic and English.
Qualifications
I hold an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex, UK.
Affiliations
Board member/ Council member/ Trustee
- Member of the International Council, International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
- Member of the Advisory Board of Article 19’s MENA Regional Office, (Article 19)
- Member of the Advisory Board, Global Initiatives of HelpAge International
- Member of the Editorial Board, Journal of Human Rights Practice (JHRP)
- Commissioner, Palestine Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) (until 2023)
- Board member, Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) (until 2023)
- Board member, Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) (until 2023)
Fellowships
- Fellow, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex, UK (until 2023)
- Fellow, Human Rights Law Centre, University of Nottingham, UK
Honour
I was one of 30 Human rights Defenders from across the MENA region that the Regional Office of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) paid tribute to through its publication “A defender for a right”, launched in Beirut/ Lebanon on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the UDHR.
“The purpose of the booklet is drawing public attention on Human Rights Defenders, expressing support for their courageous defiance of repression and encouraging their work in protecting and promoting human rights. The activism of each defender is linked to related articles of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights.” (A defender for a right)
Work experience
- I have been an independent human rights consultant for the last thirteen years.
- For over 35 years, I have worked in different capacities with many prominent national and international organisations, including the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International, HelpAge International, UN ESCWA, the Open Society Foundations, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, and Al-Haq/ Palestine.
- I was the Legal Adviser to the Middle East and North Africa at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International for 10 years.
- I was a Senior Policy Analyst for the Open Society Foundations.
- I engaged with ESCWA as a consultant on various occasions
- I engaged with HelpAge International as a consultant on various occasions, and currently sit on the Advisory Board of the Global Initiatives of HelpAge International
Selected Publications
Recent studies:
- 2023: “Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Practice”, published by Amnesty International – Netherlands/ HURICAP
– Part I: Understanding ESC Rights
– Part II: Taking Action on ESC Rights - 2023: “The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol: Handbook for Parliamentarians”(revised edition), OHCHR and IPU – (Main contributor)
- 2023: Chapter 14: “Advancing Gender Equality through the Arab Charter on Human Rights“, in Frontiers of Gender Equality: Transnational Legal Perspectives, edited by Professor Emerita Rebecca J. Cook
- 2023: “A Guide on Using UN Bodies and Mechanisms to Promote Accountability: Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the Palestinian Context”, MIFTAH, (Arabic).
- 2023: Blog: “The Right to Dignified Ageing: A personal learning journey“, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex.
- 2022: “Toward a New Funding Mechanism to Support Human Rights in the Arab Region Challenges, considerations, and options“, (available on demand)
- 2021: “The Right to Dignified Ageing: A guide to establishing rights-based policies for older persons in the Arab region”, HelpAge International and UNFPA.
- 2020: “Bullets are cheaper than sugar: A policy brief for the 20th anniversary of the Women Peace and Security agenda“, a policy brief that adopts a feminist lens in reviewing the existent UNSC framework on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in the MENA region, (WILPF), available in Arabic and English
- 2020: “A manual on process of developing National Action Plans on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda“, (UN Women and the League of Arab States), available in Arabic
I am currently working on the following:
- Analysis of laws related to the crime of rape in the 22 Arab countries (members of the League of Arab States), identifying trends, omissions, positive aspects, and specific country case studies, for Equality Now.
- A Guidebook on practical ways to advocate for the Women Peace and Security Agenda in the Palestinian context, using international and regional bodies and mechanisms, Oxfam International – Palestine.
