About the Project

Visual Resilience is a research and storytelling initiative that elevates the work of Iraqi women photographers documenting climate change. Our work focuses on how photography shapes critical and counter-archiving of climate change reframing resilience beyond policy metrics, centring culture, memory and gendered perspectives. Our aim is simple: make environmental harm visible, honour community knowledge and inform fairer climate action in and beyond Iraq.

This pilot project is funded by the Climate Change and Women’s Resilience in Iraq Challenge Prize, an initiative by the LSE Middle East Centre and Moja Organization for Human Rights supporting collaborative research on how climate change affects women in Iraq and how to strengthen their resilience to extreme heat and water scarcity.

Meet the Team

  • Zainab Mahdi is a communications officer at the Nahrein Network/UCL where she supports projects focused on heritage, history and the humanities in Iraq. She recently completed her MA in Anthropology of Global Futures and Sustainability at SOAS. Zainab’s research interests focus on heritage, climate change and climate activism.

  • Noor Omer is a Research Specialist at iNNOV8 Research Center. She studies the links between politics, security, and governance in Iraq and the Middle East. Noor also works on climate issues, focusing on women-led and inclusive solutions.

  • Khamael Al Safi conducts qualitative research specifically focused on the lived experiences of individuals and communities pursuing creative projects and ventures. She has also developed training programs with Iraqi Innovators, a social impact organisation focused on upskilling young professionals in Iraq. She holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from City University of London, a MSc in Organisations and Governance from the London School of Economics