Zainab Salbi
Zainab Salbi
Zainab Salbiis an author, women's rights activist, humanitarian, social entrepreneur, and media commentator who is the founder and former CEOof Washington-based Women for Women International...
NationalityIraqi
ProfessionActivist
CountryIraq
mother strong independent
Since a very young age, my mother made sure to tell me about the plight of women. As she raised my awareness about women's issues, she also made sure to ingrain in me the importance of being strong and independent and not to let anybody define me by their images of what women should be.
war moving healing
Long-term trauma for women who have survived armed conflict is a haunting reminder that health issues and depression can follow decades after the end of war, but women who hope for healing can and do move forward.
views different-experiences diversity
It is the diversity of views that stems from different experiences and different backgrounds that lead to healthy decision-making and not the unified experiences and unified views.
mother daughter war
When war ends, women are the first to pick up the pieces. Where there is no market place, they go door to door. When homes are destroyed, mothers and daughters haul stones to rebuild or plow fields together.
silence stories world
Leadership is about encouraging women to break their silence and tell their stories to the world.
men decision healthy
Without women's full inclusion at the decision making table, we cannot have any healthy decision making that is good for men and women alike.
hair together needs
While women may look different, as some wear suits and others wear saris, or some cover their hair while others wear their hair loose, women need to stand together because they all face the central point of discrimination, although the extremity of which may be different from Kigali to Kabul.
war eye space
The front[line] of wars is increasingly non-human eyes peering down on our perceived enemies from space, guiding missiles toward unseen targets.
believe passion believe-in-you
Believe in your passions and act on them.
war school home
Since war often enters homes through the "kitchen door," we need to understand women's attempts to keep life going in the face of shortage of food, closing of schools and reduced freedoms.
life enjoy-life enjoy
Passionately enjoy life!
want twenties groups
I dont want to be someone in my sixties holding on to a group that I created when I was in my twenties.
mean challenges way
I by no means intend to simplify the challenges women face in any culture. Women are marginalized in all cultures in my opinion, some in more extreme ways than others.
america choices injustice
I grew up with injustice and could do nothing about it. But once in America, I had freedom of choice.