Success stories of Palestinian achievers from all over the world

Makbula Nassar

Makbula Nassar

Sector : Media, Journalists

Personal Info

  • Country of residence: Palestine
  • Gender: Female
  • Age: 0
  • Curriculum vitae :

Information

A young Palestinian photographer, activist, feminist, and notorious radio host is someone whom we can all learn from.
Makbula is the tenth of eleven children born to a farmer from the Arrabeh and an internally displaced mother from the destroyed and depopulated historic Palestinian village of Hittin, the site of Salah-al-Din’s victory over European
Crusaders. Her first form of political activity came in the third grade when her school’s administration banned her
class from participating in a field trip, so they organised a demonstration in protest. “The teachers punished us the next day, but we had to fight for what was our right.” 

Throughout her university days, Makbula was politically active in her hometown, engaging in activities that continued after her graduation. She was the first Palestinian woman on an electoral candidacy list for the Democratic Front for
Peace and Equality (Hadash), the only legal Palestinian party before the 1990s. “I wanted Palestinian citizens in Israel to see a woman on the stage talking about social and political issues. Although the party itself espoused gender equality, it was not really ready to challenge patriarchy within its ranks. This was one of the reasons that I broke with them in 2000.” Makbula continued to campaign for women’s rights both as a social worker as well as through the Equality in Marital Rights Action Committee, which campaigned for the adoption of laws granting Palestinian women equal access to family courts. In 2004, Makbula was invited as a guest on a talk-show on Radio-al-Shams, and her eloquence and character prompted the station’s owner to offer her the unexpected job of being a radio host. For the past four years she has hosted Kalam Mubashir (straight talk) and later Shababik (windows), both of which have unabashedly challenged chauvinism and racism in Palestinian and Israeli society, with topics ranging from Palestinian rights to headscarves to sexuality rights. 

Makbula’s pioneering work, with no funding or institutional backing, inspired many more Palestinians, and even Jewish Israelis, to begin locating and photographing what remains of depopulated Palestinian towns and villages.

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Achievements and Awards

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