ÌÇÐÄTV

Dr Helen Kijo Bisimba - Executive Director of Legal and Human Rights Center in Tanzania. Now enjoying her very well-earned retirement.

It was quite an excitement for me to have a scholarship award to pursue post graduate PhD studies and even more so when admitted to the School of Law at the University of ÌÇÐÄTV. I had been fortunate to be able to work on my commitment to human rights and justice as Executive Director of the Tanzania Legal and Human Rights Centre. Some people at home in Tanzania were skeptical about my achievement, saying I was too old at the age of 53 to go for a PHD. A friend asked me whether I just wanted something for my obituary. Some thought it was a waste of funds at that age, it would be better to let my daughter proceed instead. I am glad that the same daughter encouraged me as did a friend who was a professor at the University of Dar-es-salaam. Hence, I began the journey for a three year study at ÌÇÐÄTV.

I joined ÌÇÐÄTV in 2008 and the study life was very good. I had excellent supervisors in Professor Abdul Paliwala and Professor Ann Stewart. The two were amazing, they directed me in a way that the thesis just glided as the years rolled by. The post-graduate department was a great support and I had a chance to receive training on most of the needs I had technologically, the use of language, research methods and even about coping with the British weather! I also found good friends on Campus especially in the school of Law. I received a generous welcome and made many friends at St John’s Church in Westwood near the university.

From my friends’ experience of orphan hood I really wanted to work on the rights of children orphaned as a consequence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. With the guidance of my supervisors I decided to carry out a socio-legal study which involved doing fieldwork in remote rural areas. This was a difficult but rewarding experience especially as the children and the community accepted me as one of their own, even calling me mother.

When I returned home in 2011, some people did not believe that I had graduated with a PHD from ÌÇÐÄTV University, they thought it was just too quick. I came back and found that there were issues to tackle from my work as the Executive Director of the Legal and Human Rights Centre. The first big issue was a medical doctor’s strike and what we needed was to shake the government to act on the doctors’ demands regarding the conditions of their work and their pay. We staged a big peaceful demonstration by blocking a heavy traffic road normally used by high profile politicians and diplomats. For an hour and a half no traffic could pass until the government listened to our media statement and negotiated with the doctors to end the strike.

I considered it very important to communicate and discuss my research findings to the children I had studied and the community. So I travelled 13 hours by car about eight hundred kilometres and had a great reception. I also discussed the findings with the various local and national government departments. I had time to test the current relevance of the findings and was gratified that some of my recommendations were picked up at the village level.

I also led my organisation in contributing to the process of writing a new Constitution for the country. We carried out a major campaign to help the public to understand the issues and encourage participation in the process. We prepared materials for all types of people including brail for the blind, flash disks for the deaf, large print for elderly and school children and television plays for those who prefer to watch. We reached the whole country. Another project was working with my team in the observation of the 2015 general elections and we issued a report. Perhaps because of all these activities our offices were stormed by the police and our computers seized. Very soon afterwards I was involved in a terrible car accident which affected my pace of advocacy. However, I continued my activism once I was out of the hospital until my retirement in 2018. This included bringing a charge against the Prime Minister for a statement he made in Parliament which was in breach of human rights and the constitution.

Since retiring, I have been doing a lot of work with organisations working for children, education, women’s rights and para-legals and legal aid. I also joined others to form an organisation on Justice, Peace and Reconciliation in relation to the situation in the Country after the 2015 elections which was leading the country towards a dictatorship. My Socio-Legal Studies at ÌÇÐÄTV have helped a lot in the way I use law for the good of society.

Dr Sahar Maranlou - Lecturer in Law, Department of Law and Criminology at Royal Holloway, University of London

Before beginning my PhD, I worked for several years with women’s organisations across civil society, international institutions, and the UN, focusing on gender and empowerment mainly in Iran and Afghanistan. These experiences laid the foundation for my interdisciplinary interests. When I joined ÌÇÐÄTV Law School as a full scholarship student in 2008, I embarked on a journey that transformed both my academic path and personal perspective. My supervisor and mentor, Prof. Shaheen Ali, played a significant role in shaping my interdisciplinary approach and strengthening my commitment to socio-legal research. When I grew tired of the difficulties of being a PhD researcher far from home, Prof. Ali would often cite a poem by Iqbal Lahori. Reminding me that the very wind that challenges the eagle is the force that lifts it higher, strength is born not from ease, but from rising boldly into the storm.

Since completing my PhD in 2012, I have built my academic career at the intersection of gender justice, socio-legal research, and policy reform. My doctoral research involved conducting the first survey study exploring Iranian women’s perceptions of their legal system. The project brought together historical analysis, women’s lived experiences of legal inequality, and broader structural barriers to justice. This work later became a monograph published by Cambridge University Press and went on to become one of the press’s top titles in Iranian Studies.

My time as a PhD researcher was not only academically transformative but also personally enriching. Being part of a vibrant research community allowed me to meet colleagues from diverse backgrounds whose insight, encouragement, and friendship shaped my intellectual journey. That supportive environment played a significant role in helping me grow into a confident interdisciplinary researcher. I was a female international student from Iran, studying alongside colleagues from the UK and beyond. I had a great friendship with other PhD candidates from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Jordan, the UK, China and Uganda. Most of my peers have either joined academia nationally and internationally or are currently leading international law firms. I loved our chat and conversation in the PhD standard room, having lunch together, and even travelling together for international conferences.

After completing my PhD and becoming a mother to my first child, I was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship funded by the University of Oxford/ the Sasakawa Peace Foundation to work on women’s legal empowerment. I later joined a law school and human rights centre as a lecturer, and I am now a socio-legal academic at a university in the UK.

I have taught extensively in areas including family law, public law, human rights, legal research methods, and Islamic law. I take pride in creating an interactive, critical, and inclusive learning environment, and I consistently receive strong feedback from students. I have developed new modules, supervised PhD and postgraduate researchers, and remain deeply committed to supporting interdisciplinary socio-legal scholarship.

My forthcoming book Public Perceptions of Gender Equality in Iranian Social Media (in Press) examines how individuals in Iran utilise online platforms to challenge discriminatory laws and advocate for women’s rights. Bringing together doctrinal, empirical, and theoretical analyses, it examines how digital activism - and particularly hashtag feminism - can influence the evolution of law and legal practice.

Looking back, my years at ÌÇÐÄTV remain some of the most meaningful and formative moments of my academic journey. The friendships, mentorship, and sense of community I experienced there continue to inspire my work today. I carry a deep appreciation for the place that shaped so much of who I am as a socio-legal academic.

Dr Naveed Ahmed - Professor at University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

Before beginning my PhD journey at the University of ÌÇÐÄTV, I served as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of the Punjab, Pakistan. Teaching law at one of the country's most prestigious institutions was not just a job, but a deeply enriching experience that helped shape my academic foundation. However, I had always aspired to pursue higher studies in the UK, drawn by its rigorous research environment and global academic reputation. It took me nearly a year of focused effort - searching for the right program, applying to various universities, securing funding, and preparing for life in a completely different country - before I finally received an offer of admission to the University of ÌÇÐÄTV. That moment was a dream come true, and little did I know then that ÌÇÐÄTV would soon become one of the most cherished chapters of my life.

I began my PhD studies in 2008, stepping into an environment that was intellectually vibrant, socially rich, and personally transformative. The journey was not easy - pursuing a doctorate never is - but it was certainly rewarding. My time at ÌÇÐÄTV spanned nearly five years, and every moment is etched in my memory. I vividly remember the energy of the campus, the long hours at the library, the academic debates in seminars, and most importantly, the camaraderie with fellow students and faculty. My department offered not only academic guidance but a sense of belonging. Moreover, my home university is very much similar to ÌÇÐÄTV campus in its scenic beauty. The gym was my refuge during stressful times, and social events - whether departmental gatherings or cultural celebrations - were the lifeline of my student life. Those friendships and experiences became integral to my identity and academic growth.

After four years of rigorous research, sleepless nights, and tireless dedication, I successfully defended my thesis and was awarded the PhD. That moment, the culmination of so much effort, was the happiest of my life. There were indeed challenges along the way - academic pressure, moments of self-doubt, and being away from home - but all of it was overshadowed by the immense personal and professional growth I experienced.

The ÌÇÐÄTV experience has significantly transformed how I approach both teaching and research. Exposure to ÌÇÐÄTV’s interdisciplinary culture and emphasis on critical thinking has encouraged me to design more student-centered, inquiry-based learning environments. Collaborative opportunities with colleagues across departments have enriched my research methodology, fostering a more integrative and globally-aware perspective. I've also adopted innovative digital tools and pedagogical strategies that enhance engagement and deepen understanding in both classroom and research settings.

Upon returning to the University of the Punjab, I resumed my academic career with renewed energy. I focused on publishing quality research and, after eight years of persistent effort, was promoted to full Professor at the Faculty of Law. Alongside my teaching and research, I took on key administrative roles, including Director of the Career Counseling and Placement Center for two years. More recently, I served as Director of the Postgraduate School of Legal Studies for six months, further contributing to the academic development of future scholars and practitioners.

My scholarly contributions include the publication of my book The Impact of International Financial Institutions in Pakistan: Development, Governance and the Rule of Law, published by Bloomsbury. This work reflects my deep interest in the intersection of law, development, and governance.

Looking back, the path from Lahore to ÌÇÐÄTV and back again has been filled with learning, resilience, and achievement. ÌÇÐÄTV remains a beloved memory and an enduring inspiration in my academic journey.