Centre for Applied Human Rights
Hikma Rabih
Sudan, CAHR, Autumn 2014
My name is Hikma Rabih. I am a 33-year-old Sudanese human rights lawyer, born in North Darfur. I am the founder of a legal aid centre, the Aid Centre for Legal Consultations and Advocacy (ACAL), based in Khartoum, Sudan.
I graduated from the Faculty of Law at Elnileen University in Khartoum in 2002. I believe that human rights, equality and justice are for all – not just for rich people, for those who can afford lawyers, or only for men. Because of this I am now looking at changing our community's discrimination against women, poor people, and internally displaced people (IDPs) through providing legal aid and access to human rights.
As a woman, it has not been easy to find my way in a community like Sudan. With the lack of resources, patriarchal domination, and without enough opportunities it was hard, but it has also motivated me to go forward and keep on trying to challenge the status quo.
I worked in Nyala, in south Darfur, as a protection officer in an IDP camp with the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO). SUDO was closed in 2009 by the government because of its work in human rights, which our dictatorial regime didn't appreciate.
After that I decided that I wanted to continue working in legal protection, and legal aid for free for needy people in Sudan. In 2011 I established the Legal Aid Center.
Growing up in a patriarchal society, it is very difficult for me even as a lawyer to stand up and fight for a community that believes in gender equality and human rights.
Growing up in a patriarchal society, it is very difficult for women and men themselves, and for me even as a lawyer, to stand up and fight for building a healthy community that believes in gender equality and human rights. I have faced very organized discrimination by the state through laws and legislation. Women in Sudan can be targeted because of their colour, ethnic background, personal behaviour, and even dress. If a woman wears trousers she can face beating and prosecution.
I work as a lawyer in the court providing legal advice and legal representation for women and children facing critical cases such as murder, stoning, early marriage, female genital mutilation, child abuse, harassment and abuse from the police. We have also represented women selling tea and alcohol. They face organized campaigns by government instead of being supported and protected by them.
Sometimes when I stand in court advocating for women I face stereotyping and discrimination from judges and other lawyers. I also found myself growing up in a very dogmatic environment, because as part of the 80s generation I have witnessed this recent regime which came to power through a coup in 1989, to completely change the features of our society. We have witnessed many challenges in our Sudanese education system, in social, economic, cultural and political environments.
I witnessed the partitioning of our country when Sudan became north and south; I witnessed the start of the war in Darfur in 2002 which is ongoing until now and has become a genocide; and the continued war and conflict in the Nuba mountains, Blue Nile and Damazin regions.
The government continues to arrest human rights activists, restrict freedoms, shut down organizations and to commit many kinds of human rights violations.
This is the environment I work in.
I grew up with daily death news coming from my relatives in Darfur, telling us they lost their sons, daughters, wives, their land, their life and peace completely. These have been huge challenges for me when trying to support victims and work to address human rights violations.
Despite all these challenges and difficulties I continue to work as a human rights defender. Right now I am part of a human rights programme for HRDs with the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York as a fellow with other HRDs who support me in enhancing my capacity in human rights areas and to learn from each others' experiences.