Dr Badriya one of the outstanding lawyers in Arab world
A lady of eminence and action
This is the fifth and last in a series of articles on Dr Badriya Abdullah Al Awadhi, a lady of eminence.
DBy Lidia Qattan
– Editor uring the last months of the invasion her mother, Meriam Al Awadhi, though an inspiration of fortitude to everyone around her, she was slowly succumbing to the tension and worry she was hiding within. Her suffering became yet more intense when all communications with Kuwait were truncated and those outside the country could no longer keep in touch with their dear ones inside the country.
From the first day of the Iraqi occupation Meriam Al Awadhi refused to accept she lost her country, she was quite certain that it would be set free in no time and everyone would return home. In spite of her conviction she could not stop worrying about her people inside the country and this was dragging her down.
She had been a strong woman all her life, she had braved many adversities, but this was a trauma too hard even for her to absorb.
By the end of November her constitution was weakening, hence Dr Abdul Rahman, her son worrying she would get worse, felt she had to go to London to be with her daughters in the comfort of their family.
He knew what actually she needed was to be back home in her old familiar surrounding among her people and her memories, but this could not be helped. Soon after he took his mother to London, Dr Abdul Rahman returned to Ta’if, Saudi Arabia, to continue working in the liberation front with the Kuwaiti Government.
After the liberation Meriam Al Awadhi had still to wait seven long months before she could return home. Only when the burning inferno at the oil fields was finally extinguished it was safe for her to return.
The moment she was home it was such a feeling of rebirth for Meriam that a new fire, a new energy was throbbing in her veins. She was feeling her old self again, but in spite of her normal appearance, the ordeal of worrying and tension she suffered already affected her physical constitution; only in spirit she was the same strong lady everyone knew.
In January 1999 her health began fading, her heart was weakening, but her mind was as lucid and as fresh as it had always been, her spirit was yet stronger and inspiring.
Quietly
Then one evening in August, while her sons and daughters and their families were gathered around her, she slipped quietly way in her sleep.
At seven that evening she joined the family at dinner-time as usual, she chatted and laughed with her grandchildren, then settled for her usual nap.
In the convivial atmosphere surrounding her, the voices of the children and their candid laughter resounded like echoes of angels growing distant and dismal as she dozed away. In those fading moments an immense gladness, a feeling of intense peace and joy was pervading her being.
She had a good life, unmarred by regrets. Proud of her children, whom she guided with loving care, Meriam was a contented soul, ready to surrender to eternal peace.
Lidia Qattan
Like in a dream more tangible and real than any one she ever had, she was seeing the people around her and all the familiar faces of others she ever met. They were all appearing in a fading vision, like memories sweet and vague parading in front of her in quick succession, till she had no more recognition of time and space.
Meriam was soaring towards eternal light where pain and sadness have no realm, where everything resolves into pure energy, into that primordial source of goodness and perfection from which all created forms come and are bound to return.
In that supreme moment of glad surrender a subtle smile appeared on her lips. Those near her thought she was dreaming, they felt happy for her. But when sometime later Dr Abdul Rahman checked on her to replace the oxygen aid for more comfort in her sleep, he sensed the pulse of life had gone.
In realizing what happened everyone in the room stood in deep reverent silence pervaded by a feeling of immense void.
Meriam Al Awadhi left this world living a legacy of good deeds that bare testimony to her loving, compassionate nature and high spirit, besides being an exemplary enlightened mother, when undaunted by the superstitions and criticism of those around her, she never stopped encouraging her daughters in pursuing a higher education at the time when schooling for women was frowned upon by most people in Kuwait.
Incidentally her stead-fastness to her belief that women had the power to change their destiny through education became an inspiring example to other mothers of her days.
Of all her sisters Dr Badriya alone has chosen a life fully dedicated to her career. The pursuit of law in its multifarious forms has become her lasting love and passion, in which she has become fully engaged, not so much as a means of livelihood , but mainly for her own personal satisfaction. Absorbed in her work she is so fulfilled that the thought of marriage seldom if ever has crossed her mind.
However, while her mother was still alive Dr Badriya was living with her; sharing her feelings and thoughts with her mother was a great emotional lift she is now missing.
Without her presence the house feels empty, it has lost the warmth and the laughter she was sharing with her.
There are moments when in returning home she feels the need of that warmth and that sharing. It is then that she feel the emptiness in her home, she is missing that comforting feeling while they were together.
Memories
Hanging on those memories most intimate and dear to her, Dr Badriya is often inspires to sage reflections, to ideas grave and familiar unbounded by conditions of space, outrunning the speed of time. Those floating images from the past, those familiar scenes gathering into a focus, are then reviewed in a new perspective bringing back some of that warmth she cherishes.
Dr Badriya Al Awadhi is a lady of eminence and action. Her line of involvement, as an expert in International Environmental Law, makes her the first woman in the region in this field. Incidentally she was among the first 500 World Personalities receiving the Environment Award, sponsored by the United Nation in 1989. On the other hand her international Juristic involvement makes her one of the most outstanding women lawyers in the Arab world
While running her own Law Firm , Dr Badriya Al Awadhi is still quite active lecturing at Universities around the world, taking part at international and local seminars and symposiums, and as a legal expert at the ROPME (Regional Organization for the protection of the Marine Environment), of which her brother, Dr Abdul Rahman is the Chairman.
Steeped in her field of global legal issues, in which she became engaged since 1981, Dr Badriya further extended her international membership when in 1994 she joined the International Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration in Egypt. In the following year she became Vice-President for West Asia Commission on Environmental Law (IUCN) – the World Conservation Union in Switzerland. In that same year she joined the Arab Association for International Arbitration in France. Then in 1997 she joined the G.C.C.C. Commercial Arbitration Center in Bahrain, and, in the same year, she joined the Euro Arab Arbitration System in London.
As a prolific writer Dr Badriya Al Awadhi wrote many books on international law and related subjects, besides producing scores of articles and assays. Her style of writing is succinct and clear, easy to grasp even by the general reader, because of multiple examples she gives when needed on a specific issue.
Her working day spans from morning to night six days a week.
Like her father, a self made tycoon who despised idleness, Dr Badriya is a hard working lady, who besides her tight engagements will not shrink from doing some home chores, even painting a wall if needed.
Passion
An avid reader from an early age Dr Badriya Al Awadhi delights in books on any field of laws. Collecting them has been her passion since she fell in love with the subject in her first year at the Cairo University. Wherever she goes, especially to Cairo, her favorite hunting place is the bookshop in which she loses herself, unaware of time.
Her daily habits are simple; she dresses formal, comfortable but elegant, she also enjoys a brisk walk around the block in the cool evening air.
In spite of her serious appearance Dr. Badriya has a candid sense of humor and a down to earth attitude that makes anyone comfortable in her company. Her frankness is uncompromising, which combined to her vast knowledge makes her conversation, or indeed her lectures quite engaging and enjoyable, hence her popularity at intellectual gatherings.
In the summer of her life, having accomplished a great deal in her field, and more to be expected of her, Dr Badriya Al Awadhi stands as a Lady of Eminence in the galaxy of Kuwaiti intellectuals.
Concluded