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PROFILE
Profile: Negar Ashtari [by Regan Morris] When women call the Tahirih Justice Center for help, paralegal Negar Ahstari is generally their first point of contact. LawCrossing talks with Ms. Ashtari about her work at the center and the desperate women who call there for help.
Paralegal Negar Ashtari has always been inter-
but she never quit fighting for women’s rights.
where women have more of a voice in society and are very politically active.
ested in the law and women’s rights. Growing up in Botswana, the daughter of Iranian parents,
“The equality of men and women are very im-
Ms. Ashtari was impressed and influenced by
portant principles of the Bahá’i faith, particularly
“As a woman, I would have had a very different
women - mostly attorneys - who were activists
in understanding that human society won’t
life if I’d been raised in Iran,” she said. “In Botswa-
and leaders of social justice movements.
really advance until women are given their
na, social justice movements and activism has
rightful place and opportunities,” Ashtari said.
been spearheaded by women, women lawyers,
Ashtari, 27, first joined the Tahirih Justice Center
“It’s a very strong principle. In fact, Bahá’is often
and women’s rights groups. And that always
in 1999 as an intern. At the time, Tahirih was a
use the analogy that human society is like a
fascinated me.”
small group, working in the basement office of
bird, and one wing might be male and the other
a small building. But the group had big plans
female, and until they’re both equally strong,
She has served on Bahá’i social- and economic-
to help women, and Ms. Ashtari was impressed.
they won’t make any proper advancement.”
development projects in Zambia, South Africa, and Ethiopia, where she lived for a year. Ashtari
The center helps women and girls fleeing human rights abuse seek justice through the law
And you can’t switch the wings around, because
has also worked for a number of nonprofit or-
and education.
they’re different, Ashtari said. But you need both
ganizations such as Development Alternatives,
wings to fly.
Inc.; Africare; NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund; and Women and Law in Southern Africa.
In 2004, Ashtari earned a Master of Arts in Human Geography from the University of Califor-
Ashtari learned most of her paralegal skills on
nia, Berkeley, where she studied and researched
the job. The attorneys at Tahirih, she said, always
Ashtari is fluent in Farsi and speaks French, Am-
African land-tenure systems and critical per-
have their doors open and were willing to teach
haric, and Setswana, which helps her communi-
spectives on international development.
her paralegal skills.
cate with many of the clients Tahirih serves.
Although she is not a paralegal by training,
“A lot of the work we do here is through consul-
Ashtari, who would like to return to work in
Ashtari convinced the center she was the right
tation. And I was just inspired by the way Tahirih
Africa someday, said she is considering going to
person for the job when it was looking to hire a
makes decisions, by everyone coming together
law school. She said she has learned a lot about
paralegal. And she has excelled in that job.
and sharing their different opinions,” she said.
the law from the attorneys at Tahirih and knows
“Be it a paralegal or administrative assistant or
what a powerful tool the law can be in helping
“We do a lot of asylum work and generally deal
managing attorney—we all get to share in set-
people.
with a lot of African clients, so it’s been nice to
ting the vision and strategic plans for the center,
have that background,” said Ashtari. “The other
which is fun to do.”
“It’s nice that we work so closely with the attorneys and they have offices next door. It’s very
major pull has been that I’m also Bahá’I, and it’s been exciting to work in a Bahá’i-inspired orga-
Most of Tahirih’s clients are migrant women
collaborative, and there’s an open-door policy,
nization. Those are principles I believe in.”
who have been victims of abuse, from their
so a lot of the technical stuff I’ve picked up and
husbands or employers. Migrant workers often
studied a bit on my own and worked closely
Tahirih, she notes, is a secular organization,
do not know their rights, and one of the group’s
with the attorneys,” she said.
but the group was named after a 19th-century
biggest challenges is outreach and education—
Bahá’i poet who fought for women’s rights in
through fliers, lectures, and word of mouth.
the Middle East. The poet traveled throughout
Ashtari said the stories she hears from the
Persia, organizing women and encouraging
women who call Tahirih are often desperate and
them to reject their oppressors. Tahirih was
horrifying. As an Iranian, Ms. Ashtari said she
stoned in the streets and repeatedly threatened,
feels fortunate that she was raised in Botswana,
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