Nibal Thawabteh () is a Palestinian women's rights activist
/ref> who works at

Birzeit University Birzeit University (BZU; ar, جامعة بيرزيت) is a public university in the West Bank, in the State of Palestine, registered by the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs as charitable organization. It is accredited by the Palestinian Mi ...

Life

Thawabteh was the first woman to be elected to the Beit Fajjar Village Council, where she served for seven years.Trailblazer Opens Doors for Palestinian Women , IIP Digital
/ref> She developed her own training manual and volunteered to help other women get seats in the council. In 2005 she founded the monthly newspaper ''Al Hal'' (meaning The Situation), which addresses controversial issues including incest, polygamy, honor killings, illegal marriages, lesbianism and the plight of the poor. In 2008 she was the newspaper's editor-in-chief and a contributing writer.Risky use of democratic rights , JPost , Israel News
/ref> For the first issue of the newspaper, a photo of Amina Abbas, the wife of

Mahmoud Abbas Mahmoud Abbas ( ar, مَحْمُود عَبَّاس, Maḥmūd ʿAbbās; born 15 November 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen ( ar, أَبُو مَازِن, links=no, ), is the president of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian Natio ...

, was used on the cover, creating much controversy; according to Nibal, the photo was the first time Amina appeared in public. Nibal has also drawn attention to social issues through writing TV screenplays on subjects including the plight of illiterate women and writing and producing documentaries on subjects including suicide among Palestinian women. She has also taught investigative reporting and creative writing. Nibal received a 2008

International Women of Courage Award The International Women of Courage Award, also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, is an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have ...

. In 2015 she was the Director of

's Media Development Center who was concerned with the National media policy of Palestine.Nibal Thawabteh - Landmark report on Media Development in Palestine
UNESCO, Retrieved 13 July 2016

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thawabteh, Nibal Living people Palestinian women activists Palestinian women's rights activists Year of birth missing (living people) Recipients of the International Women of Courage Award