Fatima: Voices of Civil Society in Iraq
Fatima tells the story of Fatima Al Bahadly, an Iraqi activist who provides alternatives to a challenging reality in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Despite numerous death threats, she is determined to work with youth, women, and leaders of the Provincial Council to rebuild her city.
Despite its economic importance to Iraq, Basra has faced significant hardships in the form of crippling sanctions and bombings. However, despite the obstacles, many civil society organizations emerged in 2003 following the fall of Saddam Hussein. Along with other activists, Fatima Al Bahadly courageously pioneered Iraq’s independent civil society sector. She is now the director of the Iraqi Al Firdaws Society in Basra, and works across Iraqi society, especially with women and youth, on issues related to conflict resolution, local governance, and civic and political engagement.
The World Movement for Democracy, as part of its work in the Civic Space Initiative (CSI), has been producing a series of videos profiling various activists, including Fatima Al Bahadly. NED hosted a screening and discussion of the video on Wednesday, March 25.
Learn more and view the video here.