06 March 2009

Lawyer Spearheads Programs to Aid Iraqi Women

Attorney Suaad Allami works to ensure gender equality

Suaad Allami

Washington — In the middle of embattled Sadr City, Iraq, Suaad Allami runs a nongovernmental organization (NGO) called Women For Progress. The NGO manages the Sadr City Women’s Center, a one-stop shop for everything from legislative advocacy, vocational training and domestic-violence counseling to medical exams and literacy education and even child care and exercise opportunities.

A lawyer with 16 years of experience, Allami works both to strengthen Iraq’s small corps of female legal professionals through programs such as her highly successful Women Lawyers Continuing Education seminars and to ensure that Iraqi constitutional protections for women translate into day-to-day life.

U.S. Army Colonel George Phelan, the rule of law adviser and women's rights advocate for the embedded provincial reconstruction team located outside Baghdad, said Allami is “that strong and credible advocate Iraqi women need to ensure that equality is not only talked about but practiced and upheld in ground truth."

Allami is a highly visible advocate in a political climate in which voicing support for women’s rights can be dangerous. She is one of only two women on the 40-person District Council, and has chaired its Women and Children Council since 2004. She also has served on the Baghdad Provincial Council and authored the January 2008 By-Laws for the Baghdad Province District and Qada Councils.

Taking a stand against corruption, she resisted the efforts of a local strongman to extort money from the Women’s Center. She frequently consults, at great personal risk, with U.S. government and coalition forces outside the Green Zone. When she learned about the extent of alleged human rights abuses at Kadhamiya Women’s Prison, she boldly conducted an unannounced inspection, CNN news crew in tow, without regard for potential backlash. The Iraqi minister for human rights shut down the prison two months later.

Allami expanded her efforts beyond the Women’s Center in Sadr City. She won a $700,000 grant and used it to open four additional and extremely popular centers in Baghdad. In addition, she has submitted proposals aimed at bringing female-taught education about internationally recognized human rights precepts to all Baghdad district councils and militia-age males in the city.

Rather than urge international engagement from the relative safety of a neighboring country, Allami remains in her homeland despite personal risk. Because of her work, Iraqi women are not only healthier and safer, but have the means to change their lives and their communities. For these reasons, Allami was honored by the U.S. secretary of state with the 2009 International Women of Courage Award. The award, established in 2007, recognizes women of exceptional courage and leadership. (See “United States Recognizes Women of Courage.”)