Wijdan Salim, homework and human rights, Minister Salim is a mother and a maverick
6 Nov 2008
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Appointed the Human Rights Minister of Iraq in May 2006, she was one of four women named to the Cabinet in Iraq’s new nonsectarian government and the only Christian.
Originally from Baghdad, Minister Salim holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Technology in Baghdad where shortly after she became an urban planner in the Master Plan Department of Baghdad. Her roots in urban planning provided her the opportunity to meet and learn about the people in the many communities she worked. When you work as an urban planner, you are working with the people," said Salim.
You learn what the people need; I was responsible for the area of Saddam City, known today as Sadr City where people are very poor," the Minister said. She began her governmental career in 2003 as a member of the Wahda Neighborhood Advisory Council, soon joining the Karada District Council as well.
Minister Salim became a member of the Baghdad provincial council in February 2004. By September 2004, she was serving on the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Iraqi National Council and, in March 2005, she became part of the Iraqi National Assembly. When asked about the path that took her to become the Minister of Human Rights, she sat back, her large brown eyes looked up toward heaven and said, "I think it was God that put me on this path and took me here."
At first it was not easy, needing to make important decisions that would impact her family, the moment she was elected the Minister of Human Rights, she was advised to leave her home, take her family and move into an apartment where she could be better protected.
It was very difficult for my boys; we went from a big home where they could play to a much smaller place. My boys had to leave their friends and the schools they were attending and go to different schools.” The Minister said. “
After about a year we were able to move into a house again, and my family was much happier.” Salim said almost teary.
In her role as Minister she is taking on much more issue related responsibilities and the USAID-funded Tatweer project (Arabic for Development)is supporting the Ministry of Human Rights in its efforts of promotion and protection of human rights as an objective of public policy.
When the Minister was asked what her vision to achieve this is, she responded, “By developing a national action plan, and building national institutions including education in the field of human rights, integrating the strengths of the ministry so that we can achieve our objectives and face the serious challenges of improving human rights in Iraq.
Minister Salim commented: “With the assistance of USAID, we are currently developing, and Tatweer is assisting the Ministry of Human Rights establish databases that will help transition from paper to electronic archival of information. This is essential for the preservation of evidence of prisoners of war (POWs) from the Iraq/Iran war, the state of Iraqi prisons, and remains from the excavation of mass graves, integrating the strengths of the ministry so that we can achieve our objectives and face the serious challenges of improving human rights in Iraq”.
The minister acknowledged its success and has now approved one-on-one coaching in human resources by USAID/Tatweer personnel, as well as a series of human resource workshops that began with the naming of a highly-qualified team. The team is comprised of staff already working with human resource issues, and will focus on improving the human resource function within the ministry.
“Many challenges can be faced successfully with the support of a knowledgeable and capable team,” added the minister. While inspired by the USG’s assistance, these initiatives reflect the commitment of Iraqi leadership to institutional capacity, institutionalization of reforms, and leadership improvement.
Just then her cell phone rings, and she looks at who it is before answering it, she smiles and give us the indication she will be a minute; as she returnsx to sit with us, she is smiling, it was her husband. It seems this is one of the ordinary days of Minister Wijdan Salim – she’ll finish her work so she can get home to her youngest to help him with his homework.
Originally from Baghdad, Minister Salim holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Technology in Baghdad where shortly after she became an urban planner in the Master Plan Department of Baghdad. Her roots in urban planning provided her the opportunity to meet and learn about the people in the many communities she worked. When you work as an urban planner, you are working with the people," said Salim.
You learn what the people need; I was responsible for the area of Saddam City, known today as Sadr City where people are very poor," the Minister said. She began her governmental career in 2003 as a member of the Wahda Neighborhood Advisory Council, soon joining the Karada District Council as well.
Minister Salim became a member of the Baghdad provincial council in February 2004. By September 2004, she was serving on the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Iraqi National Council and, in March 2005, she became part of the Iraqi National Assembly. When asked about the path that took her to become the Minister of Human Rights, she sat back, her large brown eyes looked up toward heaven and said, "I think it was God that put me on this path and took me here."
At first it was not easy, needing to make important decisions that would impact her family, the moment she was elected the Minister of Human Rights, she was advised to leave her home, take her family and move into an apartment where she could be better protected.
It was very difficult for my boys; we went from a big home where they could play to a much smaller place. My boys had to leave their friends and the schools they were attending and go to different schools.” The Minister said. “
After about a year we were able to move into a house again, and my family was much happier.” Salim said almost teary.
In her role as Minister she is taking on much more issue related responsibilities and the USAID-funded Tatweer project (Arabic for Development)is supporting the Ministry of Human Rights in its efforts of promotion and protection of human rights as an objective of public policy.
When the Minister was asked what her vision to achieve this is, she responded, “By developing a national action plan, and building national institutions including education in the field of human rights, integrating the strengths of the ministry so that we can achieve our objectives and face the serious challenges of improving human rights in Iraq.
Minister Salim commented: “With the assistance of USAID, we are currently developing, and Tatweer is assisting the Ministry of Human Rights establish databases that will help transition from paper to electronic archival of information. This is essential for the preservation of evidence of prisoners of war (POWs) from the Iraq/Iran war, the state of Iraqi prisons, and remains from the excavation of mass graves, integrating the strengths of the ministry so that we can achieve our objectives and face the serious challenges of improving human rights in Iraq”.
The minister acknowledged its success and has now approved one-on-one coaching in human resources by USAID/Tatweer personnel, as well as a series of human resource workshops that began with the naming of a highly-qualified team. The team is comprised of staff already working with human resource issues, and will focus on improving the human resource function within the ministry.
“Many challenges can be faced successfully with the support of a knowledgeable and capable team,” added the minister. While inspired by the USG’s assistance, these initiatives reflect the commitment of Iraqi leadership to institutional capacity, institutionalization of reforms, and leadership improvement.
Just then her cell phone rings, and she looks at who it is before answering it, she smiles and give us the indication she will be a minute; as she returnsx to sit with us, she is smiling, it was her husband. It seems this is one of the ordinary days of Minister Wijdan Salim – she’ll finish her work so she can get home to her youngest to help him with his homework.
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