Zainab Salbi
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Zainab Salbi (
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
: زينب سلبي; born 1969) is an Iraqi American women's rights activist and writer. She is the co-founder of
Women for Women International Women for Women International (WfWI) is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides practical and moral support to female survivors of war. WfWI helps such women rebuild their lives after war's devastation through a year-long tiered progra ...
and host of ''Through Her Eyes'' with
Yahoo! News Yahoo! News is a news website that originated as an internet-based news aggregator by Yahoo!. The site was created by a Yahoo! software engineer named Brad Clawsie in August 1996. Articles originally came from news services such as the Associate ...
and '' #MeToo, Now What?'',
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
documentary mini series. She is the author of several books, including '' Between Two Worlds: Escape From Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow Of Saddam'' and ''The Other Side of War: Women's Stories of Survival & Hope''.


Early life and education

Salbi was born in 1969 in
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
, Iraq. In 1971, she moved to the
Mansour district Al Mansour ( ar, المنصور) is one of the nine administrative districts in Baghdad, Iraq. It is in western Baghdad and is bounded on the east by Karkh district in central Baghdad, to the north by Kadhimiya, to the west by Baghdad Internation ...
with her parents. Her mother worked as a teacher and her father was a commercial pilot. Her memoir describes her mother Alia as
secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...
, while according to ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' she was
Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...
, and raised Salbi "undogmatically". When Salbi was 11, her father became the personal pilot for
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolution ...
, who then regularly visited the family at their home while he was president of Iraq. The Iran-Iraq War also occurred during her childhood, including missile attacks on Baghdad. She studied languages at an Iraqi university. At the age of 19, Salbi was sent to the United States after her mother became concerned about the attention Salbi received from Hussein. Her family arranged for her to marry in the United States. She left the marriage after her husband became abusive but could not return to Iraq due to the start of the
First Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. She moved to
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, worked as a translator, and married Palestinian American lawyer
Amjad Atallah Doha Debates produces and distributes solutions-focused debate and interview programs, video reports and interactive content. The franchise's products include marquee debates, the #DearWorldLive interview series, the "Course Correction" and "The N ...
. In 1996, she became an US citizen. Salbi completed her bachelor's degree in sociology and
women's studies Women's studies is an academic field that draws on feminist and interdisciplinary methods to place women's lives and experiences at the center of study, while examining social and cultural constructs of gender; systems of privilege and oppress ...
at
George Mason University George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...
in 1996, and a master's degree in
development studies Development studies is an interdisciplinary branch of social science. Development studies is offered as a specialized master's degree in a number of reputed universities around the world. It has grown in popularity as a subject of study since the e ...
at the
London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...
in 2001.


Career

While studying at George Mason University, Salbi learned about the systematic rape during the Bosnian war. In 1993, Salbi and Atallah launched
Women for Women International Women for Women International (WfWI) is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides practical and moral support to female survivors of war. WfWI helps such women rebuild their lives after war's devastation through a year-long tiered progra ...
. She began serving as president, initially with a focus on supporting for women in
Bosnia-Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and Pars pro toto#Geography, often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of Southern Europe, south and southeast Euro ...
and
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
. The program linked sponsors in North America with women in Bosnia.''Womankind: Faces of Change Around the World'' by Donna Nebenzahl, photographs by Nance Ackerman,
The Feminist Press at CUNY The Feminist Press (officially The Feminist Press at CUNY) is an American independent nonprofit literary publisher that promotes freedom of expression and social justice. It publishes writing by people who share an activist spirit and a belief in ...
, 2003, pages 152-5.
The organization was led by Salbi from 1993 to 2011, during which time its humanitarian and development efforts helped over 478,000 women in eight conflict areas and distributed over $120 million in direct aid and micro credit loans. Among the countries Women for Women International focused on were Bosnia, Rwanda, Kosovo, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Iraq was also a focus area for Salbi, and the organization began working there in 2003. Salbi also visited and wrote a report about Iraq for Women Waging Peace in conjunction with the
Woodrow Wilson Center The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (or Wilson Center) is a quasi-government entity and think tank which conducts research to inform public policy. Located in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washi ...
on the role of women in the country post-conflict.Statement Submitted by Senator Barbara Boxer
" Constitutionalism, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law in Iraq: Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Eighth Congress, First Session, June 25, 2003, Volume 4, U.S. Government Printing Office.
She later testified before the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
about the report. By 2006, Salbi had appeared on ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...
'' six times to discuss the organization. In 2006, Women for Women International was awarded the $1.5 million Hilton Humanitarian Prize. In 2008, Women for Women International produced a report with an introduction by Salbi, based on 2004 and 2007 surveys of Iraqi women, including
Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish languages *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern Kurdistan **Eastern Kurdistan **Northern Kurdistan **Western Kurdistan See also * Kurd (dis ...
,
Shi'i Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...
,
Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
,
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
,
Turkmen Turkmen, Türkmen, Turkoman, or Turkman may refer to: Peoples Historical ethnonym * Turkoman (ethnonym), ethnonym used for the Oghuz Turks during the Middle Ages Ethnic groups * Turkmen in Anatolia and the Levant (Seljuk and Ottoman-Turkish desc ...
, and Sabai'i. Salbi has written and spoken on the use of rape and other forms of violence against women during war. In 1995, President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
honoured Salbi at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
for her humanitarian work. She was also identified as one of the 100 most influential women in the world in ''
Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...
'' and in ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''. Salbi announced her resignation from Women for Women International in 2011. She was selected as a jury member of The Hilton Humanitarian Prize. Salbi sits on the board of directors of
Synergos Synergos is a non-profit organization which aims to reduce global poverty through partnerships between government, business, civil society and local communities. History Peggy Dulany founded Synergos in 1986. Synergos is headquartered in New Y ...
and the
International Refugee Assistance Project The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) works to organize law students and lawyers to develop and enforce legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons. It was originally a project of the Urban Justice Center in New York Cit ...
.


Media work and public image

In 2015, Salbi launched a talk show with
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
Arabia called ''Nida'a'' (the calling in Arabic), with
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...
appearing on the first show. The show is broadcast in 22 countries in the
Middle East and North Africa MENA, an acronym in the English language, refers to a grouping of countries situated in and around the Middle East and North Africa. It is also known as WANA, SWANA, or NAWA, which alternatively refers to the Middle East as Western Asia (or a ...
and focuses on the acknowledgment of Arab and Muslim women. Salbi then launched ''The Zainab Salbi Project'', an original series with
Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
(2016); '' #MeToo, Now What?'' with PBS (2018); and ''Through Her Eyes with Zainab Salbi'', with
Yahoo! News Yahoo! News is a news website that originated as an internet-based news aggregator by Yahoo!. The site was created by a Yahoo! software engineer named Brad Clawsie in August 1996. Articles originally came from news services such as the Associate ...
(2019). Salbi was identified as an influential Arab woman by ''
Arabian Business ''Arabian Business'' (''AB'') is a weekly business magazine published in Dubai and focusing on global and regional news analysis. The brand is aimed at the English- and Arabic-speaking communities and is published in both languages. Its circula ...
'', one of the 100 Global Thinkers in the World by ''
Foreign Policy A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
'', one of the Most Influential Women on Twitter, by ''
Fortune Fortune may refer to: General * Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck * Luck * Wealth * Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling * Fortune, in a fortune cookie Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Fortune'' (1931 film) ...
'' (2014), and one of the 100 Most Powerful Arabs by ''
Gulf Business __NOTOC__ ''Gulf Business'' is a weekly magazine published from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and focusing on Middle East business news, especially in GCC countries. It was launched in 1996. It is published in Motivate Media Group. The magazine ...
'' (2019).


Awards and honors

*Honored at a
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
ceremony for her work in Bosnia (1995) *''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine Innovator of the Month (2005) and was profiled in Time for her pioneering work as philanthropist. *''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' magazine Trailblazer Award (2005) *
World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
's Young Global Leader (2007) *David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award (2010) *
Austin College Austin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and located in Sherman, Texas.International Festival Of Arts & Ideas The International Festival of Arts & Ideas is a 15-day festival that takes place in New Haven, Connecticut. The festival presents performing arts, lectures, and conversations that celebrate influential artists and thinkers from around the world ...
(2011) *Honorary doctorate from the
University of York , mottoeng = On the threshold of wisdom , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £8.0 million , budget = £403.6 million , chancellor = Heather Melville , vice_chancellor = Charlie Jeffery , students ...
(2014) *Great Immigrant by the
Carnegie Corporation of New York The Carnegie Corporation of New York is a philanthropic fund established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to support education programs across the United States, and later the world. Carnegie Corporation has endowed or otherwise helped to establis ...
(2017) *Honorary doctorate from the
George Mason University George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...
(2019) *Honorary doctorate from the
Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...
(2019) *Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Award (2019)


Books

* '' Between Two Worlds: Escape From Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow Of Saddam'', 2005, , * ''Hidden in plain sight : growing up in the shadow of Saddam'', London : Vision, 2006. , * ''The Other Side of War: Women's Stories of Survival & Hope'' Washington, D.C : National Geographic, 2006. , Reviews of ''The Other Side of War'' * * * * ''If You Knew Me You Would Care'' New York : PowerHouse, 2012. , * ''Freedom Is an Inside Job: Owning Our Darkness and Our Light to Heal Ourselves and the World'', Sounds True, Incorporated, 2018. ,


References


External links


Zainab Salbi
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Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Salbi, Zainab Living people American Muslims Iraqi Muslims Iraqi writers Iraqi women writers Iraqi women's rights activists Iraqi emigrants to the United States Writers from Baghdad American writers of Iraqi descent Iraqi humanitarians American humanitarians Women humanitarians 1969 births Iraqi feminists Proponents of Islamic feminism American feminist writers Postmodern feminists George Mason University alumni Organization founders Women founders Alumni of the London School of Economics American women's rights activists People from Baghdad