Rothna Begum
Rothna Begum is an associate director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch. She focuses on discrimination and violence against women and girls in the Middle East and North Africa region, including leading the research and advocacy on the abuse and exploitation of migrant domestic workers, domestic violence against women and girls, child marriage, sexual violence in conflict, discriminatory family laws, and male guardianship policies. She has conducted research and advocacy in countries including Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Rothna also led the advocacy for Human Rights Watch on a new global International Labour Organization (ILO) treaty relating to violence and harassment at work, which was adopted in June 2019. Rothna is also, in her individual capacity, a member of the ILO Regional Office for Arab States’ Migration Advisory Group.
Rothna previously worked for Amnesty International (2008-2013) researching and campaigning against a wide range of human rights violations in the Gulf states. Rothna holds a LLB in Law and a LLM in Legal Theory from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She qualified in subjects such as international human rights law, public international law and Islamic law.
Articles Authored
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December 20, 2019
Two Years After #MeToo: New Treaty Anchors Workplace Protections
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October 3, 2019
Reforms Will Grant Nationality to Children of Iranian Women
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September 19, 2019
The Deadly Toll for Palestinian Women
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August 6, 2019
Iranian Women Rebel Against Dress Code
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July 4, 2019
Turning the Tide on Violence and Harassment at Work
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September 11, 2018
Qatar's Permanent Residency Law a Step Forward but Discrimination Remains
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June 22, 2018
For Saudi Women, Freedom to Drive Masks New Crackdown
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March 23, 2018
Lebanon’s Failed Mother’s Day Gift
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March 7, 2018
The Middle East's Women Are Championing Their Own Change
Reports Authored
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Trapped
How Male Guardianship Policies Restrict Women’s Travel and Mobility in the Middle East and North Africa
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"I Already Bought You"
Abuse and Exploitation of Female Migrant Domestic Workers in the United Arab Emirates