Half the Sky

by

Nicholas Kristof

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Zainab Salbi Character Analysis

Zainab Salbi is an Iraqi woman who grew up as close friends with the family of Iraq’s despot, Saddam Hussein. Zainab was pushed into a marriage in America because her mother feared Saddam Hussein’s lust for her. After learning of rape camps in war-torn Bosnia, Zainab founded what would become Women for Women International to help the countless unaided rape survivors.
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Zainab Salbi Character Timeline in Half the Sky

The timeline below shows where the character Zainab Salbi appears in Half the Sky. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 12
The Oppression of Women  Theme Icon
Tears Over Time Magazine. Kristof and WuDunn first describe Zainab Salbi, an Iraqi woman living in the U.S., as Hollywood’s conception of a “free-spirited Middle... (full context)
The Oppression of Women  Theme Icon
Solutions to Address the Oppression of Women Theme Icon
In university, Zainab’s mother suddenly pushed her to marry an Iraqi man in the U.S., the authors write,... (full context)
The Oppression of Women  Theme Icon
Universal Benefits of Women’s Empowerment  Theme Icon
The Complexity of Aid Theme Icon
Solutions to Address the Oppression of Women Theme Icon
...worldwide, catching the attention of Oprah Winfrey. One day, a war survivor in Congo told Zainab—the only person she had ever told—about her own rape and the rape of her three... (full context)