Can you briefly introduce yourself and your organization?
Manar Al-Zubaidi, Master of Public Law and currently a doctoral student in the preliminary stage. I have been working as a journalist since 2007 until now.
I have completed many investigations, reports, and various journalistic stories, most of which focused on women’s rights, politics, and civil rights. I also worked in the field of social research and consultation in the fields of women, peace, minorities, and marginalized communities.
I have delivered many lectures to women, college students, female journalists, bloggers, and activists in the fields
of law, politics, international agreements, and others. I have also founded two journalistic websites specialized in Iraqi women’s affairs, one written and the other a podcast.
How did you decide to work with Gypsy communities?
My journalistic work encouraged me to defend the rights of these groups due to the tragic scenes I observed, and the details I experienced when I was collecting information and documenting events. From those moments, I decided to adopt the defence of these issues as a human being and a believer that is my humanitarian duty to do so.
What types of challenges have you faced while working with Gypsy communities?
The challenges are many, most notably the challenges of our tribal society, which does not accept some segments of society, especially those that society has labelled with a “stigma,” such as the Roma segment.
It was very difficult to engage with this topic. I have made many sacrifices for it, including enduring offensive comments and bullying on social media. However, the situation later changed and those challenges eased thanks to the good planning and strategy that I developed for the advocacy campaign to defend the rights of the Roma (#Gypsies_are_humans).
How did you cooperate and develop your relationship with the Gypsy community?
In the beginning, it was very difficult because they had lost confidence in those who had previously tried to provide assistance. This was especially the case since they were being exploited by some political candidates who used their votes to reach the position of government, and then abandoned them. They were also not confident of our success in providing the urgent assistance that they dreamed of (a school for their children and obtaining a national card), but little by little, and with the efforts of the campaign team, supporters, and donors, including government officials, religious men, and others who joined in solidarity with the campaign later, I was able to help them open the school. We were also successful in helping them to obtain a national card and providing relief materials and some services.
Because the goal of the campaign was 100% humanitarian and devoid of personal interests, the village residents believed in the campaign and trusted us, and our connection with them has not ceased to provide assistance from 2016 until now.
What is your own advice on how to approach and cooperate with Gypsy communities?
First, the nature of the relationship should be free of any personal interests and the goal should be to help and encourage them to demand their rights.
Second, aid should be provided without any expectation of compensation. They must feel the sincerity of assistance being provided only because they deserve it, and it is their natural right.
Third, we must not exploit their suffering and trade it for personal purposes. We should strive to improve their conditions and provide assistance in a sustainable manner.
Gypsies are peaceful, kind, and intelligent people who can distinguish people and their intentions. They are also loyal and do not forget those who offer them a favour or service.
News reports on Manar's work with Gypsy communities in Iraq can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kToU_T4Zk0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1NBQZM7ahA
Manar Al-Zubaidi, Master of Public Law and currently a doctoral student in the preliminary stage. I have been working as a journalist since 2007 until now.
I have completed many investigations, reports, and various journalistic stories, most of which focused on women’s rights, politics, and civil rights. I also worked in the field of social research and consultation in the fields of women, peace, minorities, and marginalized communities.
I have delivered many lectures to women, college students, female journalists, bloggers, and activists in the fields
of law, politics, international agreements, and others. I have also founded two journalistic websites specialized in Iraqi women’s affairs, one written and the other a podcast.
How did you decide to work with Gypsy communities?
My journalistic work encouraged me to defend the rights of these groups due to the tragic scenes I observed, and the details I experienced when I was collecting information and documenting events. From those moments, I decided to adopt the defence of these issues as a human being and a believer that is my humanitarian duty to do so.
What types of challenges have you faced while working with Gypsy communities?
The challenges are many, most notably the challenges of our tribal society, which does not accept some segments of society, especially those that society has labelled with a “stigma,” such as the Roma segment.
It was very difficult to engage with this topic. I have made many sacrifices for it, including enduring offensive comments and bullying on social media. However, the situation later changed and those challenges eased thanks to the good planning and strategy that I developed for the advocacy campaign to defend the rights of the Roma (#Gypsies_are_humans).
How did you cooperate and develop your relationship with the Gypsy community?
In the beginning, it was very difficult because they had lost confidence in those who had previously tried to provide assistance. This was especially the case since they were being exploited by some political candidates who used their votes to reach the position of government, and then abandoned them. They were also not confident of our success in providing the urgent assistance that they dreamed of (a school for their children and obtaining a national card), but little by little, and with the efforts of the campaign team, supporters, and donors, including government officials, religious men, and others who joined in solidarity with the campaign later, I was able to help them open the school. We were also successful in helping them to obtain a national card and providing relief materials and some services.
Because the goal of the campaign was 100% humanitarian and devoid of personal interests, the village residents believed in the campaign and trusted us, and our connection with them has not ceased to provide assistance from 2016 until now.
What is your own advice on how to approach and cooperate with Gypsy communities?
First, the nature of the relationship should be free of any personal interests and the goal should be to help and encourage them to demand their rights.
Second, aid should be provided without any expectation of compensation. They must feel the sincerity of assistance being provided only because they deserve it, and it is their natural right.
Third, we must not exploit their suffering and trade it for personal purposes. We should strive to improve their conditions and provide assistance in a sustainable manner.
Gypsies are peaceful, kind, and intelligent people who can distinguish people and their intentions. They are also loyal and do not forget those who offer them a favour or service.
News reports on Manar's work with Gypsy communities in Iraq can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kToU_T4Zk0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1NBQZM7ahA
