Zainab Al-Mashat

Reports

“His gaze was intrusive; it pierced my soul”: On the Struggles of Divorced Women in Navigating Courts and Governmental Institutions 

Mothers are forfeiting their rights in a bid to regain their freedom, only to find themselves and their children met with sexism, obstruction, and exploitation — on Suha, Suhair, Aseel, and Shahd’s encounters with governmental institutions and courts.

Diaries 

“Short Sleeves”: Women’s Respectability is not Defined by How They Dress in Summer 

My late mother used to consider that my clothes were socially unacceptable. Whenever I went through her photo album, I used to ask her, “Why do you comment on the way I dress when you used to wear less conservative clothes, although I dress very modestly compared to the way you used to dress back then?”. “Times have changed”, she would reply. Can women’s respectability be defined by how they dress.

Stories

‘My questions are turned into a weapon to kill me’: the deadly war against Iraq’s journalists

At least 282 journalists have been killed in Iraq in the past 20 years, with many only able to work in exile

Reports

Their Mistakes are Fatal. Unlicensed Beauty Centers Owned by Personalities and Protected by Officials

Hundreds of beauty centres are performing operations that may be fatal. Holding them accountable is almost impossible due to the fact that they are owned by well-known personalities who have strong relations with officials and decision-makers in the state.

Reports

Wives lives are wasted waiting for divorce: Men have priority over women in Iraqi courts

A man can obtain a divorce ruling from the courts within 15 to 30 days. A woman has to wait between up to five years to obtain the same legal ruling often giving up many or all her rights.