Mariem has been a long-time advocate for refugee rights. For a year, Mariem withdrew from UNC-Chapel Hill, where she studied Political Science and Religious Studies, to participate in a revolutionary moment in Tunisia. Afterward, she immersed herself in the seismic shifts gripping the entire region. Together with a group of young Tunisians, Mariem co-founded SAWTY (My Voice) – today, Tunisia’s largest youth-led organization. Later, she transitioned to working on cross-ideological dialogue efforts with the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID), cutting through decades of fearmongering by the State to find common ground between secular and Islamist politicians.
Mariem went back to school at Columbia University for a Master’s degree to strengthen her understanding of contemporary political thought and governance. She wrote her Master’s thesis on the politics of identity and religion in the 2014 Tunisian constitution. While at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), she directly worked on constitution-building and reform initiatives across the Middle East and North Africa region. This experience only increased her thirst for answers. Now, working with the IHRC, Mariem hopes to learn and refine a critical mindset to fight against injustice.
At USC Gould, Mariem plans to study constitutional rights and international human rights law. During her IL summer, she worked at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
“The experiences I was fortunate to have over the years have cemented in me an understanding of the law beyond its letters, seeing it as a critical and multidimensional perspective to striking needed balance and justice in our modern and diverse societies. Working with the International Human Rights Clinic, I hope to leverage my language skills and cultural awareness.”