Ms. Allami is a lawyer and activist for women’s rights in Iraq. She operates Women for Progress, a Baghdad assistance center for women which offers free legal advocacy, medical care, literacy education, and vocational training. Since 2004, she has served as a member of the Baghdad Provincial Council.  In 2008, she authored by-laws which were adopted by this Council, as well as by the District Council and the Qada Council.  In March, 2009, she was one of eight women worldwide to receive the International Woman of Courage Award, which was presented to her by First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.  During her fellowship year, she would like to explore women’s rights and human rights in general from a democratic perspective. She hopes that her experience here will help her to introduce to the men and women of Iraq a deeper sense of the importance of women’s rights and of their potential as partners in the future development of Iraqi society and government.