I have recently received my second MA degree. My latest degree is an MA in Filmmaking at the London Film School. Prior to Filmmaking, my first Masters degree (LLM) research in the field of International Law at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, I focused my thesis research on defining water as a basic human right that underlies the premises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a particular focus on the Nile basis initiative. I have conducted part of my field research in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Tel Aviv University on Water Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

I have worked & studied all my life in both languages, English & Arabic. Regarding my language abilities, Arabic is my mother tongue, English is almost at native level. I would be glad to work on improving my basic skills in French. I have worked with both English & Arabic in different capacities, in training in & on both languages, voiceover, research, acting, text & article translation, subtitling & other.

My background involved working in advocacy work & human rights in the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe for many years, I am currently switching careers to utilizing my long experience in development & my recent intensive courses in film making to using film (documentary-feature) for advocacy purposes as well as being involved in the cultural field & using cultural heritage & art in the field of advocacy & development. This mix of film, human rights work, development work as well as training experience has enriched my language background as I have always done my work and studies in both languages, Arabic and English.

Considering my background in advocacy, development and human rights, as well as my current shift into film making, I felt quite competent to be considered for potential work with your organization. I am attaching my CV for further reference, but I would like to provide specific details regarding my relevant expertise that reflect the qualifications required here below.

As the Regional Officer for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at ECPAT International Secretariat, based in Bangkok, I have conducted field missions to the MENA region to provide capacity building training & liaise with ECPAT groups, NGOs, government departments, UN Organizations and intergovernmental agencies to promote national and regional implementation of the Stockholm agenda for Action. I have greatly expanded the MENA network as a part of an implementation strategy for the fight against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). As ECPAT’s representative, I was selected to represent ECPAT at a regional TV program to provide awareness on CSEC in the Middle East as well as presented ECPAT’s work to Egypt’s First Lady at the UN Violence Study meeting in Cairo.

Intensive experience with human rights issues and advocacy in a conflict environment, acquired during my work as a Core Supervisor with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in the Mitrovica region. My work dealt with human rights/the right to return and advocacy for the right to vote among all Kosovo inhabitants, Serbs, Albanians, and Bosnians. supervising international and local staff in troubleshooting and ensuring the smooth running, on a daily basis, of various sites within the Kosovo district.

As a UNICEF consultant, I have worked on monitoring the polio campaign/social mobilization activities implemented in selected slum areas by the NGO Federation, and through my involvement in the Anti-Female Gentile Mutilation (FGM) campaign. I have also worked as a Results Monitoring Specialist/Research Coordinator at the NGO Service Center, Population & Health Activity. This included advocacy against circumcision, community awareness campaigns for women at different stages of their development, encouraging women to visit health clinics, as well as, safety measures against infectious diseases, effective participation of women.

Hands on knowledge in the area of policy reform, analysis and implementation specific to environmental issues. As a Program Analyst at the Egyptian Environmental Policy Program (EEPP), funded by USAID, I worked in the field of institutional/municipal capacity building and community participation for the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). I facilitated a drafting procedure of a national environmental disaster contingency plan, as well as a decree on a decentralized environmental management involving all stakeholders on the government level in different municipalities and governorates.

Please let me know if you need more information.