Adila Hashim, a South African attorney, human rights advocate, and activist known for her advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities and their social and economic rights, is renowned for her empathy for the Palestinian cause and her active participation in rejecting Israeli settlements and opposing Israeli occupation practices in general. Born in 1972, some narratives suggest that she has Yemeni roots.
Hashim gained global prominence when she appeared on television screens on January 11, 2024, representing South Africa as part of a legal team presenting arguments during the International Court of Justice hearings to condemn Israel for committing genocide against Palestinians and using internationally prohibited weapons in its war on Gaza, which began in early October 2023.
Early Life and Education
Born on January 14, 1972, in Durban, eastern South Africa, Hashim earned her LLB from the University of Natal in 1995, becoming a member of her country's Bar in 1996 and joining the Johannesburg Bar in 2003.
She completed her Master of Laws at Drew University in New Jersey, USA, in 1999, followed by another LLM from Saint Louis University in Missouri, USA, and then a PhD from Notre Dame University in Indiana, USA, in 2006.
On January 13th, Yemeni Scene newspaper quoted Dr. Abdul Hakim Al-Mashraqi stating that Adila Hashim's roots can be traced back to the Al-Mashraqi region in Taiz, Yemen, and that her full name is Adila Hashim Ali Mohammed Al-Mashraqi. Her ancestors moved from Aden to Britain and then to South Africa.
Attorney Adila Hashim in the International Court of Justice where she presented an argument against Israel on January 11, 2024 (Reuters)
Legal and Activism Experience
Hashim has been active in defending the rights of marginalized communities in her country, particularly health rights, leading several significant legal and human rights campaigns, such as ensuring access to antiretroviral drugs for people with HIV/AIDS.
She took part in drafting several healthcare-related legal bills, such as the AIDS Law in 2007, the Post-Apartheid South African Healthcare Law in 2008, and the National Health Law in 2008. She also contributed to her country's Human Rights Project's health section.
Hashim's activism extends to advocating for the rights of impoverished children and the right to quality education for all citizens of South Africa. She played a significant role in several high-profile legal cases, including the "Life Esidimeni" tragedy in 2016, where 140 people died in Gauteng province due to reasons including hunger, lack of healthcare, and treatment in unlicensed centers.
She was involved with a team of legal professionals in taking punitive measures against the government officials implicated, and courts ruled to compensate the affected parties.
Hashim helped establish various centers and organizations supporting social justice. She co-founded "Section 27" in 2002, a social and economic rights organization that offers legal support to victims and raises human rights awareness, where she served as Director of Advocacy until 2017. She also contributed to founding the Nonprofit Law Center in 2010, focusing on healthcare and education for marginalized communities.
In 2018, she chaired an investigative committee into corruption allegations against former South African President Jacob Zuma.
Support for the Palestinian Cause
Hashim's interest in the Palestinian cause began early during her university days in 1994, after the Hebron massacre at the Ibrahimi Mosque, where a radical settler named Baruch Goldstein opened fire on Palestinian worshippers during dawn prayers on February 25, 1994, resulting in 29 deaths and 150 injuries. This event shook humanity's conscience, sparking demonstrations in capitals and cities worldwide.
Following the massacre, Israeli forces closed off Shuhada Street leading to the Ibrahimi Mosque, along with the area's shops and city hall offices, and converted the central bus station into an Israeli military base. In 2014, Hashim joined a South African delegation from the "Open Shuhada Street" organization on a trip to Tel Aviv aiming to reach Hebron.
Hashim sees the apartheid in Palestine as more heinous than the Apartheid that racially divided citizens in South Africa in the 1980s, enforcing laws that deprived non-whites of voting and electoral participation and segregated government care institutions, providing the worst services to black people. She parallels the deprivation of rights Palestinians suffer under Israeli occupation with that previously experienced by black South Africans under white dominance.
South African Delegation to Prosecute Israel
On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed an 84-page lawsuit at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, accusing Israel of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. The team included legal scholars, human rights organization members, and lawyers versed in international law and human rights, including Adila Hashim.
On January 11, 2024, Dr. Adila Hashim stood for 25 minutes before the judges to plead and present South Africa's lawsuit against Israel, accusing Israeli forces of committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Awards
Adila Hashim has received several awards, including:
- "Human Rights Award" from Amnesty International in 2002.
- "Outstanding Woman Award" from the South African government in 2005.
- "Law and Justice Award" from the Ford Foundation in 2010.
