Atyab Alshatti is a bilingual Kuwaiti lawyer who currently operates the international department at one of the leading law firms in the country. She specializes in corporate law, commercial law, and employment and labor, and she is admitted to practice before all courts in Kuwait, including the Constitutional and Supreme Courts. Ms. Alshatti is a devoted human rights activist who has championed the cause of gender equality by boldly expressing her dissatisfaction with gender discrimination and crimes against women. She was identified as the first Kuwaiti lawyer to implement human rights mechanisms through legal channels.  Ms. Alshatti believes that women’s empowerment is the way to uplift women in modern society and she is dedicated to advancing that cause.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Enhancing Cyber Security for Human Rights Activists in the Gulf Region

This project informed civil community workers and human rights activists in the Gulf Area about international mechanisms for protecting women’s rights. It also provided participants with critical knowledge about cybersecurity and protection. Experts such as Professor Dimtri Constantine, the director of the Information Science at Geneva University, Dr. Mustafa Alwaridi, PhD, from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and Dr. Mohammed Mayhoub, PhD, from Carleton University, shared their expertise with 33 participating Arab journalists, female activists and human rights defenders. Following the training, participants launched the Our Rights in Civic Space initiative, the first initiative in the Arab Gulf that promotes the protection both women’s rights and cybersecurity.

"Thank you for giving us the chance of learning about cybersecurity and help safeguard ourselves in the cyber space." - Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience

Atyab participated in the IVLP Project Women in Politics and Civil Society, organized by the U.S. Department of State, the Mississippi Consortium for International Development, and Meridian International Center in partnership with the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, WorldDenver, World Affairs Council of Kentucky & Southern Indiana, Global Minnesota, GlobalJaxville, Lincoln Council for International Visitors, International House, World Affairs Council of Kentucky & Southern Indiana and Iowa International Center.

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually

Denver, CO; Salt Lake City, CO; Washington, DC; Jacksonville, FL; Louisville, KY; Des Moines, IA; Minneapolis, MN; Charlotte, NC; Lincoln, NE

"The IVLP program was a life-changing experience as I got to meet diverse women's rights activists from around the world. This gave me the opportunity to exchange expertise, to gain new experiences and to learn new things." - Atyab Alshatti

Country: Kuwait

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